Rapid buildup of Chinese military fuels corruption scandals

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. HONG KONG—Decades of spending increases have helped China build one of the world’s most substantial militaries, stirring fears that it could seize Taiwan or provoke a clash over territorial disputes with neighbors such as Japan or the Philippines. But the chief victim of the buildup of China’s military so far has been its own elite, as Chinese leader Xi Jinping has purged a swath of top generals accused of corruption and disloyalty.

The latest top brass to be put under investigation, Generals Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli, rose and fell from power during a decadeslong surge in military spending that has provided a fountain of opportunities for graft in a defense establishment that never extinguished its problems with corruption. “Money spent very quickly on the military corrupts very quickly," said Dennis Wilder, a senior fellow at Georgetown University and former U.S. intelligence officer.

Both generals also face allegations of factionalization and defiance of Xi’s authority—the most serious charges against them, according to analysts, who say the Chinese leader’s corruption fight is ultimately part of his effort to ensure the complete loyalty of those around him. Between 2015 and 2024, China’s official military spending grew by close to 60%, according to an analysis by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. China has long had the second-largest military budget behind the U.S., and researchers estimate its true size is as much as 30% higher than what is officially reported.

China’s military has been unveiling a series of new and expensive items, such as its third aircraft carrier, which was commissioned late last year. Its navy is now larger than that of the U.S. by ship