Miao Hua

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In this Chinese name, the family name is Miao.
Admiral
Miao Hua
苗华
Director of the Political Work Department of the Central Military Commission
In office
October 2017 – 27 June 2025[a]
CMC ChairmanXi Jinping
Preceded byZhang Yang
Political Commissar of the People's Liberation Army Navy
In office
December 2014 – September 2017
DeputyDing Haichun, Wang Dengping
CommanderShen Jinlong
Preceded byLiu Xiaojiang
Succeeded byQin Shengxiang
Political Commissar of the Lanzhou Military Region
In office
July 2014 – December 2014
Preceded byLi Changcai
Succeeded byLiu Lei
Personal details
BornNovember 1955 (age 69)
Fuzhou, Fujian, China
Political partyChinese Communist Party (since 1973)
Military service
Allegiance People's Republic of China
Branch/service People's Liberation Army Ground Force
 People's Liberation Army Navy
Years of service1969−2024
Rank Admiral
CommandsPolitical Work Department of the Central Military Commission

Miao Hua (Chinese: 苗华; pinyin: Miáo Huá; born November 1955) is an admiral of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). He served as the director of the Political Work Department of the Central Military Commission from October 2017 to June 2025. Previously, he served as political commissar of the PLA Navy from December 2014 to September 2017, and political commissar of the Lanzhou Military Region in 2014.

Miao had also served as a member of the 18th Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, the 19th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party[1] and the 20th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party.[2] He is considered to have been a part of the Fujian clique of the Xi Jinping faction in the CCP.[3]

Biography

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Miao Hua was born in November 1955 in Fuzhou, Fujian Province. He is of Rugao, Jiangsu ancestry.[1][4]

He enlisted in the PLA in December 1969, serving as a soldier in the 274th regiment of the 92nd division of the 31st Group Army, in the Nanjing Military Region. He joined the Chinese Communist Party in September 1973. In the 1980s, he served as a political commissar in several regiments. In the 1990s, he rose to director of the Political Department of the 93rd division, and then political commissar of the 91st division. In August 1999, Miao became director of the Political Department of the 31st Group Army, and attained the rank of major general in July 2001. He was made Political Commissar of the 12th Group Army in July 2005.[1][5]

Miao was appointed director of the Political Department of the Lanzhou Military Region in December 2010. In July 2012, he became deputy political commissar of the Lanzhou MR, and attained the rank of lieutenant general. In July 2014, he was promoted to political commissar of the Lanzhou MR, replacing General Li Changcai, who had retired.[1][4]

Five months later, Miao was transferred from the army to the People's Liberation Army Navy, and appointed political commissar of the navy.[1] It was a highly unusual move, as navy political commissars, including his predecessor Liu Xiaojiang, were normally promoted internally. Observers have interpreted the move as related to the fall of General Xu Caihou, the former vice chairman of the Central Military Commission.[4] Miao spent most of his career in the Nanjing Military Region, and was based in Xiamen, Fujian Province around the same time when Xi Jinping served as deputy party secretary of Fujian. He worked for many years alongside Xi, who later became CCP general secretary, the top leader in 2012.[4]

On 31 July 2015, Miao Hua was promoted to admiral, the highest rank for Chinese military officers in active service, together with nine other officers.[6]

Suspension

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On 28 November 2024, the Ministry of National Defense announced the suspension of Miao, while he was being investigated for "serious violations of discipline."[7][8] On 30 April 2025, the Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress announced that Miao was dismissed from the NPC.[9] In late May, a party official stated that Miao was suspected of "legal violations".[10] The Political Work Department of the Central Military Commission held a military representative conference on 14 March 2025 and decided to remove him as a representative in the 14th National People's Congress. On 27 June, the Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress voted to remove Miao from the Central Military Commission.[11][12]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Suspended since 28 November 2024

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Miao Hua". Phoenix Television (in Chinese). 25 December 2014. Archived from the original on 7 September 2015. Retrieved 23 August 2015.
  2. ^ 中国共产党第二十届中央委员会委员名单. gov.cn. Archived from the original on 2022-10-22. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
  3. ^ Fravel, M. Taylor (2025-07-18). "Is China's Military Ready for War?". Foreign Affairs. Retrieved 2025-07-19.
  4. ^ a b c d "最年轻"上将苗华是谁? [Who is Miao Hua, the youngest general?]. China News (in Chinese). 4 August 2015. Retrieved 23 August 2015.
  5. ^ "Miao Hua". China Vitae. Archived from the original on 14 August 2017. Retrieved 23 August 2015.
  6. ^ "China promotes 10 officers to general". Xinhua. 31 July 2015. Archived from the original on July 31, 2015.
  7. ^ Chen, Laurie (28 November 2024). "Senior Chinese military official under investigation, defence ministry says". Reuters. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
  8. ^ "娄勤俭回答《联合早报》记者：李尚福已经不是人大代表 不能参加两会" [Lou Qinjian replied to a reporter from "Lianhe Zaobao": Li Shangfu is no longer a deputy to the National People's Congress and cannot participate in the two sessions]. Lianhe Zaobao. 4 March 2024. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  9. ^ Liang, Xinlu (30 April 2025). "Senior PLA ideology official Miao Hua removed from China's top legislature". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
  10. ^ Xinlu Liang (2025-05-30). "Disgraced Chinese admiral Miao Hua suspected of 'legal violations'". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 2025-05-30.
  11. ^ Zheng, William (27 June 2025). "Former PLA ideology chief Miao Hua removed from China's Central Military Commission". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
  12. ^ Chen, Laurie (27 June 2025). "China purges senior military official Miao Hua from top ruling body". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 30 June 2025.