China says top military officer Miao Hua suspended under investigation

The announcement follows reports that have not been confirmed by Beijing. Defense Minister Dong Jun placed under corruption investigation.

If confirmed, Dong would become the third consecutive Chinese defense minister to be investigated for corruption.

Asked about the report at a regular briefing on Wednesday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Mao Ning said it was just “chasing shadows” and did not offer further information.

A former navy commander, he was appointed defense minister in December following the surprise dismissal of his predecessor, Li Shangfu, after just seven months in office.

State media said Li was later expelled from the ruling Communist Party for crimes including suspected bribery. He has not been seen in public since.

His predecessor, Wei Fenghe, was also expelled from the party and handed over to prosecutors over allegations of corruption.

The country’s secretive Rocket Force, which oversees China’s vast arsenal of strategic missiles, both conventional and nuclear, has come under particularly intense scrutiny.

In July, Sun Jinming, the top Chinese official at the Rocket Force, was investigated for corruption.