PLA Rocket Force

Force in Play

Rebuilding leadership after sweeping corruption purge

China's National People's Congress formally approved a 7% defense budget to 1.94 trillion yuan ($277 billion) in March 2026, a new record, while setting the country's lowest GDP growth target since 1991. Military spending has outpaced economic growth every year for over a decade.

Updated May 31

Force in Play

Two consecutive commanders purged

Xi Jinping appointed all seven members of China's Central Military Commission in 2022. By February 2026, only two remained: Xi and anti-corruption chief Zhang Shengmin. The investigation of Zhang Youxia, Xi's childhood friend and the PLA's most senior combat-experienced officer, marks the most dramatic purge of China's military leadership since the Cultural Revolution.

Updated May 23