Defense Minister Dong Jun Urges Military to Stabilize Internal and External Environments Amid Major High Level Purges

China’s Defense Minister calls for internal and external stability at the NPC as President Xi Jinping purges top generals and boosts the 2026 defense budget.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 10, 2026, 5:23 PM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Anadolu Agency

Prioritizing Strategic Stability over Modernization

During the ongoing National People’s Congress in Beijing, Defense Minister Dong Jun issued a directive for the military to actively shape a secure internal and external environment. Addressing deputies from the People’s Liberation Army and the People’s Armed Police, Dong emphasized that the armed forces must serve the country's broader political and diplomatic agenda. Notably, his remarks focused more frequently on maintaining stability and "firmly grasping the strategic initiative" than on traditional metrics of combat readiness or technological modernization. This shift in rhetoric suggests a heightened focus on the military’s role in navigating a complex period of strategic opportunity and domestic transition.

The Decimation of the Central Military Commission

The call for stability arrives amidst an unprecedented upheaval within the highest echelons of Chinese military leadership. Since January 2026, two of the nation's most senior generals, Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli, have been placed under investigation for suspected disciplinary and legal violations. The removal of these high ranking officials has left the seven member Central Military Commission (CMC) with only two active participants: President Xi Jinping and Vice Chairman Zhang Shengmin. Analysts have noted that this level of attrition in the high command is a rarity in the history of the People's Republic, surpassing even the radical reshuffling seen during previous decades of political rectification.

Demanding Absolute Loyalty to the Party

President Xi Jinping underscored the need for ideological purity during his own address to military delegates, asserting that there is "no place" in the armed forces for those deemed disloyal. He stressed the importance of leveraging political loyalty to advance the modernization of national defense, particularly as the military enters the first year of the 15th Five-Year Plan. In response, military spokespersons pledged to uphold the system of "ultimate responsibility" resting with the Chairman of the CMC. This renewed emphasis on political rectification appears designed to consolidate command and control as the military continues to undergo deep-seated internal investigations.