Widespread corruption in the Chinese army could delay its ability to prevent a possible invasion of Taiwan, according to an annual report of the Pentagon on China's armed forces, quoted by Defense News.
The armed forces of the Communists are generally making progress - deploying ships further from the coast and demonstrating missiles with a longer range. At the same time, however, the years-long corruption investigation could delay the achievement of some of the goals set for 2027, according to American experts.
Between July and December 2023, at least 15 senior representatives of the Chinese military and defense industry were dismissed due to suspicions of abuse. The investigation reaches the highest level - in November, a member of China's seven-member military council was removed and placed under investigation. Defense Minister Ding Jun also claims that he was investigated for bribery. If he is indicted, he will be the third in a row.
In this century alone, there have been more than half a dozen scandals involving the Chinese armed forces. They include the head of military intelligence, who embezzled funds from state-owned defense companies, generals who gave bribes and other similar scandalous stories.
The ambitious rearmament programs are associated with huge state expenditures and serious corruption risks. Whether he materialized - there is no public information.
Eradicating corruption in the army has long been a priority for Chinese leader Xi Jinping and a source of uncertainty despite his growing power. &Piėkin has the largest navy in the world, a modern BBC, and a growing nuclear arsenal.
These achievements are part of what American officials describe as the largest peacetime military buildup of the 1930s. ΠOver the past year, China has added about 100 operational nuclear warheads, reaching 600 by mid-2024. Military spending alone for the year is expected to approach half a trillion dollars by 2024. according to some estimates.
However, this new equipment is much easier to trace than the general quality of the Chinese army, which has not fought a war for more than 40 years.
He has stated to the military leadership that it should be able to attack Taiwan by 2027, although he has not issued orders to do so, according to American intelligence. A former defense official in Washington said that Xi had "confirmed his commitment" towards this goal, but the investigation into corruption (and possible purges in the armed forces) could hinder it.
Other important weaknesses noted in the report include the quality of commanding officers, urban warfare skills, and logistics - all undoubtedly key in a possible attack on Taiwan, separated from the mainland. on tens of kilometers of rough sea.
In spite of this, it has become a fundamental characteristic of the management and the continued pursuit of the goal of an army "world-class" army by the middle of the century.