Chinese President Xi Jinping has dismissed or placed under investigation roughly 40 senior officers—almost one-fifth of the generals he personally promoted—in the largest purge of the People’s Liberation Army since Mao Zedong, public records and state media absences show. The clear-out has reached the military’s apex: CMC Vice-Chair He Weidong has vanished from public view, leaving the Central Military Commission with only four members, the fewest in the post-Mao era. Officers linked to the Rocket Force and the Equipment Development Department are among those targeted as Xi intensifies an anti-corruption drive intended to sharpen combat readiness. The reshuffle comes days before Xi presides over China’s biggest military parade since 2019, scheduled for 3 Sept. in Beijing to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. Satellite imagery of the rehearsal grounds indicates Beijing will showcase new YJ-series anti-ship missiles, DF-41 intercontinental ballistic missiles, underwater drones and other high-tech systems aimed at deterring the United States and its allies in the Western Pacific. Analysts say the juxtaposition of an unprecedented purge and a high-profile weapons display underscores both Xi’s determination to cement personal control over the armed forces and lingering doubts about corruption and reliability within the PLA’s upper ranks. Forthcoming appointments to fill the CMC vacancies will be watched for signs of how securely Xi has consolidated power ahead of a possible fourth term in 2027.