Xi is trying to secure the devotion of China’s military

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Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Chinese leader Xi Jinping has purged dozens of military commanders in his latest bid to wipe out corruption and disloyalty—a scourge he blames on a weakening of ideological zeal and moral rectitude. To remedy that, Xi has launched a campaign to reshape minds in one of the world’s largest armed forces.

Since he ordered the indoctrination drive last summer, China’s two million soldiers, sailors and airmen have been studying Xi’s speeches, learning Communist Party rules and seeking inspiration from revolutionary exploits. Military leaders hammered home the message in a six-part documentary, “To Harden With Fire," showcasing heroic exploits, new capabilities and cutting-edge weapons—and arranged screenings for the rank and file. “We must uphold the party’s absolute leadership over the military," Xi told senior commanders at a June conclave when he launched the indoctrination campaign.

“The gun barrel must always be grasped by people who are loyal and reliable to the party." The campaign is meant to boost discipline and patriotic fervor as Xi presses ahead with his sweeping purge, which has battered morale and raised questions about China’s ability to build a modern fighting force. Whether Xi can enforce loyalty without undermining military readiness could shape the outcome of China’s quest to become a first-rate military power that can protect its global interests, compete with the U.S. for strategic dominance and potentially seize Taiwan, the self-ruled island that Beijing claims as its territory.