China’s No. 3 Military Chief Missing From High-Profile Event

He WeidongPhotographer: Pedro Pardo/AFP/Getty Images
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China’s No. 3 military official appeared to have missed an annual gathering in Beijing, a rare absence that comes amid speculation he’s the latest target of President Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption purges.

He Weidong, who is vice chair of the powerful Central Military Commission, was not named as an attendee of a tree planting event on Wednesday in a report by the official Xinhua News Agency. Vice military chair Zhang Youxia attended the event, along with two members of the CMC and Beijing party chief Yin Li, the report said.