Published: February 5th, 2025,
Last updated: May 28th, 2025

Since the summer of 2023, two defense ministers have been ousted one after the other in China, as well as a good dozen senior military and arms managers. None of them had such a long history with party leader Xi Jinping as Miao Hua. The 69-year-old belonged to the closest circle and was still far above the defense minister in the power hierarchy.