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Wei Fenghe

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In thisChinese name,thefamily nameisWei.
General
Wei Fenghe
Ngụy phượng cùng
State Councilor of the People’s Republic of China
In office
19 March 2018 – 11 March 2023
PremierLi Keqiang
Preceded byChang Wanquan
Succeeded byLi Shangfu
12thMinister of National Defense
In office
19 March 2018 – 12 March 2023
PremierLi Keqiang
CMC ChairmanXi Jinping
Preceded byChang Wanquan
Succeeded byLi Shangfu
Commander of thePLA Rocket Force
In office
October 2012 – September 2017
Preceded byGeneralJing Zhiyuan(as Commander of the Second Artillery Corps )
Succeeded byLieutenant GeneralZhou Yaning
Personal details
BornFebruary 1954 (age 70)
Liaocheng,Shandong,China
Political partyChinese Communist Party(1972–2024; expelled)
AwardsNishan-e-Imtiaz (Military)[1]
Military service
AllegianceChina
Branch/servicePLA Rocket Force
Years of service1970–2023
RankGeneral
(stripped in 2024)
UnitCentral Military Commission
State Council
CommandsMinistry of National Defense(2018–2023)
PLA Rocket Force(2015–2017)
PLA Second Artillery Corps(2012–2015)
Chinese name
Simplified ChineseNgụyPhượngCùng
Traditional ChineseNgụyPhượngCùng

Wei Fenghe(Chinese:Ngụy phượng cùng;pinyin:Wèi Fènghé;born February 1954) is a retired general (shang gian g) in thePeople's Liberation Armywho served as commander of thePLA Rocket Force,formerly known as the Second Artillery Corps. From 2018 to 2023, he was theMinister of National Defense,the first to have not come from the PLA Ground Forces and the first-rankedState Councilorfrom March 2018 to March 2023, and also the first-ranked ordinary Member of theCentral Military Commission.

In September 2023, Wei was investigated by theCentral Military Commission's disciplinary inspection department for charges of corruption. In June 2024, he was expelled from theChinese Communist Party(CCP) and transferred his case to the military's judiciary for criminal prosecution, and his rank of General in the Rocket Force revoked.

Early life and career[edit]

Wei Fenghe was born inLiaocheng,Shandong.He joined the People's Liberation Army in December 1970, at the age of 16.[citation needed]In January 1972, Wei joined theChinese Communist Party.Wei graduated from the Second Artillery Command Academy's Command Department in 1984, and rose from the ranks of the Second Artillery Corps to the rank of general.

In October 2012, Wei replacedJing Zhiyuanas commander of theSecond Artillery Corps.In November, he was promoted to the rank of general.[2][3]Prior to becoming commander of the Second Artillery, Wei served as deputy chief of staff on thePLA General Staff Department,a first for a Second Artillery officer. Wei also served as chief of staff of the Second Artillery, deputy chief of staff of the Second Artillery, 53rd Base commander, 54th Base chief of staff, and a variety of other command positions in the Second Artillery.[citation needed]

Wei was an alternate member of the17th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party,and member of the18th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party.[citation needed]

On March 19, 2018, Wei was appointed as theMinister of National Defenseand the State Councilor.[4]

On June 2, 2019, a few days before the30th anniversary of the 1989 Tianamen Square crackdown,Wei defended the actions of the government in the1989 events in Tiananmen Squareand the handling of the protests by the government, saying the government "was decisive in stopping the turbulence".[5]

On December 1, 2020, Wei was awarded theNishan-e-Imtiazfor his services inpromoting defense cooperation between Pakistan and China.[6]

In June 2022, Wei warned that "if anyone dares to split Taiwan from China, the Chinese army will definitely not hesitate to start a war no matter the cost,"[7]adding that the People's Liberation Army "would have no choice but to fight… and crush any attempt ofTaiwan independence,safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity. "[8]

In March 2023, Wei retired from his position as State Councillor and Minister of National Defense at first session of the2023 National People's Congress,and was succeeded byLi Shangfu.

Downfall[edit]

On August 31, when a reporter askedWu Qian,spokesperson of the Ministry of National Defense, about the whereabouts of Wei Fenghe, Wu stated that the Chinese military "will investigate every case and crack down on every corrupt official. The Chinese military governs according to the law, and shows zero tolerance of corruption." At the 74thNational Day of Chinacelebrations on September 23, Wei and Li Shangfu were absent for the event.[9][10][11]Rumors regarding Wei's purge due to the ongoing corruption in the PLA's Rocket Force intensified after his name was not featured inXinhua News Agency's article listing more than 130 senior Chinese politicians.[12]On May 2024, at the funeral of formerVice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's CongressUyunqimg,a wreath under the name of Wei was present at the funeral, leading to assumptions that he escaped the ongoing anti-corruption purge within the Rocket Force.[13]However, on 27 June 2024, thePolitburo of the Chinese Communist Partyannouced that both Wei and Li Shangfu have been expelled from the party for "disciplinary and law violations", and their cases have been referred to the military's legal organisations for criminal prosecution, with Wei being accused of accepting unauthorised gifts and large amounts of money in exchange for using his power to obtain benefits for others.[14]Both men were stripped of their rank of general.[14][15]Some of the accusations made against Wei are unique to his case and are known for being used against high-level CCP members who had defected to theKuomintangin the past.[16]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^"Alvi confers Nishan-e-Imtiaz Military on Chinese defence minister".Daily Times. 2020-12-02.Retrieved2022-04-12.
  2. ^"China: Nuclear Chief Promoted".New York Times.23 November 2012.Retrieved8 March2013.
  3. ^"Chinese General Promoted to Lead Missile Corps".New York Times.29 October 2012.Retrieved8 March2013.
  4. ^"Ex-missile force commander Wei Fenghe named defense minister".The Standard. 19 March 2018.Retrieved19 March2018.
  5. ^"'Repent' for Tiananmen crackdown, Taipei urges Beijing ".South China Morning Post.3 June 2019.Archivedfrom the original on 13 September 2019.Retrieved14 December2019.
  6. ^"President Alvi confers Nishan-e-Imtiaz award to Chinese Defense Minister".The Nation.2020-12-01.Retrieved2020-12-02.
  7. ^"US blasts China's 'destabilising' military activity near Taiwan".France 24.11 June 2022.
  8. ^"'Smash to smithereens': China threatens all-out war over Taiwan ".Al-Jazeera.10 June 2022.
  9. ^"Lý thượng phúc lâu chưa lộ diện ngoại giới nghi ngờ Trung Quốc cực quyền thể chế".Radio Free Asia.2023-09-12.Retrieved2023-10-26.
  10. ^"Không chỉ Lý thượng phúc trước Trung Quốc phòng trường Ngụy phượng cùng vắng họp quốc khánh chiêu đãi sẽ".CNA.2023-09-23.Retrieved2023-10-26.
  11. ^"China Defence Ministry: We will crack down on every corrupt official".Reuters.2023-08-31.Retrieved2023-10-26.
  12. ^"Trung cộng nguyên lão hạ tuổi danh sách không thấy Ngụy phượng cùng" xuống ngựa "Nghe đồn xôn xao".Radio Free Asia.2024-02-07.Retrieved2024-06-01.
  13. ^Wang, Weiwen (2024-05-07)."Trung Quốc quan môi đưa tin tái hiện trước phòng trường Ngụy phượng cùng tên phân tích: Khả năng đã an toàn chạm đất".Lianhe Zaobao(in Chinese).Retrieved2024-06-01.
  14. ^ab"CPC expels former Chinese defense minister Wei Fenghe".news.cn.Xinhua News Agency.27 June 2024.Retrieved27 June2024.
  15. ^Mai, Jun; Liu, Zhen (2024-06-27)."In a first, China accuses former defence ministers Li Shangfu and Wei Fenghe of corruption".South China Morning Post.Retrieved2024-06-27.
  16. ^Zheng, William (2024-07-10)."Exclusive | How a phrase deepens mystery of fallen Chinese defence minister Wei Fenghe".South China Morning Post.Retrieved2024-07-10.
Government offices
Preceded by Minister of National Defense
2018 – 2023 		Succeeded by
GeneralLi Shangfu
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