US intel shows China's army had missiles filled with water instead of fuel in a corruption scandal that led to Xi's military purge: Bloomberg

mloh@businessinsider.com (Matthew Loh)

Chinese soldiers atop mobile rocket launchers in a parade in Beijing's Tiananmen Square in 2019 to celebrate the 70th Anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic.

US intelligence said China's military purge stemmed from serious equipment issues, Bloomberg reported.Examples of these included missiles that had been filled with water instead of fuel, the report said.The problems are a blow to Xi Jinping's focus on the Rocket Force, China's main nuclear arm.

China's army fielded missiles filled with water instead of fuel and arrays of silos with improper lids — examples of military corruption that led to a dramatic purge of top officials, Bloomberg reported, citing US intelligence.

Bloomberg, which did not name its sources, reported on Saturday that the intelligence indicated Xi Jinping's recent ousting of more than a dozen senior commanders in the People's Liberation Army stemmed from serious issues of graft such as these.

The purge went so far as to ax even the Chinese defense minister, Li Shangfu, who disappeared for two months before being replaced in October.

US intelligence sources told Bloomberg that corruption was so severe in China's Rocket Force and the wider PLA that it would most likely force Xi to recalibrate whether Beijing can take on any major military action soon.

The Rocket Force is China's main military branch overseeing its nuclear weapons and has been a key focus of Xi's recent push to rapidly modernize Beijing's forces.

It's been especially central to China's posturing on Taiwan, with Beijing rolling out long-range missiles on its coast to threaten the self-governed island.

In 2021, researchers said satellite images showed China was constructing hundreds of nuclear-capable missile silos in the Xinjiang desert, allowing its arsenal to potentially rival those of Russia or the US.

But US intelligence said one example of corruption was that entire fields of silos in Western China were fitted with lids that prevented missiles from launching effectively, a source told Bloomberg.

The outlet did not say what sort of missiles had been filled with water.

The American assessment said these problems had likely undermined Xi's modernization policies and internal confidence in the Rocket Force's capabilities, the outlet reported.

Xi's purge was long speculated to be tied to his long-running anti-corruption campaign. For months, China has dodged questions on why so many high-ranking army officials were fired.

Of the recently sacked Chinese commanders, at least three held top positions in the Rocket Force, and four were responsible for equipment, Reuters reported.

The PLA has since emphasized staying vigilant against graft, citing a "battle against corruption" repeatedly in its New Year's Day statement.

The Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent outside regular business hours.

Xi Jinping is purging China's military — and it could disrupt its race to catch up to the US

Russia wants missiles from North Korea and Iran because they can exploit a gap in Ukraine's air defenses, analysts say

Business Insider

Ukrainian forces snuck into Russia, raided military positions, and mined the only road in the area, Kyiv says

Business Insider

Xi Jinping's empty threats exposed as Chinese missiles filled with water instead of fuel

Express Online

Xi says China must fight ‘escalating oppression’ from West with ‘diplomatic iron army’

Fox News

That's not true, us love been first in everything, if you go and search world strongest country you will see us but normally it's Russia, I hate them with passion, Elon musk is not from us but they bought him, to answer country with the richest man in the world, Elon musk is from south Africa, but why....
Shame to us