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China has conducted another purge of top military technology experts amid a widening crackdown on corruption and political loyalty within the military and defense sector.

Getting into it: The latest purge targeted three of China’s most senior defense scientists (radar expert Wu Manqing, missile guidance specialist Wei Yiyin, and nuclear weapons engineer Zhao Xiangeng) quietly dropped from the Chinese Academy of Engineering’s official membership list, the country’s top institution for technological leadership. Wu played a central role in developing advanced radar and surveillance systems. Wei spent decades designing and refining cruise missile guidance systems at a major state defense conglomerate, directly contributing to China’s strike capabilities. Zhao, one of the country’s leading nuclear weapons scientists, oversaw theoretical design and validation work for China’s nuclear arsenal after live testing ended.

Their removals have not been publicly explained by Chinese authorities, with no official statements clarifying whether they are under investigation or have been disciplined, a pattern consistent with past purges where individuals simply disappear from official records. However, all three were deeply tied to state-owned defense giants and research institutions that have recently come under scrutiny, suggesting their cases may be linked to broader investigations into corruption, internal leaks, or political disloyalty. In Wu’s case, earlier reports indicated he may have already been taken in by authorities, though those reports were quickly censored on China’s internet.

The timing is particularly notable, as the removals came shortly after the United States publicly accused China of conducting activities consistent with nuclear weapons testing. While China has denied conducting explosive nuclear tests and maintains it adheres to relevant international agreements, U.S. officials have pointed to evidence of increased activity at Chinese nuclear test sites.

These removals are part of a much broader pattern that has swept through China’s military and defense establishment, reaching the very top of its power structure. Senior executives at major defense contractors, top nuclear industry leaders, and high-ranking military generals have been removed, investigated, or stripped of positions in recent years. Most notably, General Zhang Youxia, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission (China’s highest military body and second only to Xi Jinping in command authority), was placed under investigation for “serious violations of discipline and law,” a phrase typically indicating corruption and political disloyalty. According to some US reporting, Youxia was reportedly working as an agent for the United States and was providing information on China’s nuclear program.

Another senior figure, General Liu Zhenli, a member of the same commission who oversaw joint operations, was also removed and investigated.