General He Weidong is one of two vice-chairmen of China's Central Military Commission (CMC) and number three in the military hierarchy. He is also a member of the Politburo.
General He had not been seen in public since early 2025, missing events attended by Xi Jinping and other CMC members as well as China's September 2025 military parade. More than 20 senior officers have disappeared or been dismissed since Mr Xi began a third term as party leader in 2022, including three of the seven members of the CMC. If General He's purge is confirmed, he would be the highest-ranking uniformed member of the CMC to be dismissed since 1967.
"Necessity is the mother of invention" is a silly proverb. "Necessity is the mother of futile dodges" is much nearer the truth.