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October 30th, 2025

  • Writer: USCSSO @GWU
    USCSSO @GWU
  • 2 days ago
  • 3 min read

Overview

This week, we discuss corruption probes targeting Chinese military officials and a confrontation between a Chinese jet and an Australian aircraft.

Defense

China-Australian Military Clash Underscores AUKUS Deal

By Contributor Jason Holman

 

On Oct. 19, there was a confrontation between a Chinese fighter jet and RAAF maritime aircraft over the South China Sea.

Map of the South China Sea where the incident occurred between Chinese and Australian aircraft.  (via China Global South Project) 


Close Contact: On Oct. 19, there was a close encounter between a Chinese fighter jet and a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) maritime patrol plane over the South China Sea. The Australian Department of Defense claims that a PLAAF Su-35 Fighter released flares dangerously close to a RAAF P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft. The incident occurred over the Paracel Islands, which are claimed by Vietnam, Taiwan, and China, who refer to them as the Xisha Islands. China stated that the RAAF was conducting an illegal incursion into Chinese airspace, while Australia claimed it occurred in international airspace over international waters. There have been similar incidents between the two countries in Feb. 2025, and May 2024.

 

Rare Earths: On Oct. 20, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited the White House to sign a rare earth metal agreement between Australia and the US. The deal will see both the US and Australia investing $1 billion in rare earth mining and processing over the next 6 months. The US will also invest in a gallium refinery in Western Australia, expected to produce over 100 tonnes of gallium a year. On Oct. 21, there was a resulting jump in shares of Australian rare earth companies, with Arafura Rare Earths jumping up 7.7% and Lluka Resources 3%. These agreements seek to bridge the gap between China’s rare earth production and that of the West. China produced 270,000 tonnes of rare earth minerals in 2024, compared to 45,000 from the US and 13,000 from Australia.


US-Australian Cooperation: Australia and the US have been working on increasing Australia’s ability to confront China in the South China Sea. Australia has been able to expand its maritime patrol aircraft fleet with US F-35A stealth fighter jets, P-8A maritime patrol aircraft, and High Mobile Artillery Rocket Systems. In the agreement on Oct. 20, Trump pledged to continue the deal made under the Biden Administration for the US to supply Australia with 3 Virginia-class Nuclear Attack Subs. These deals and disputes represent the growing tension between China and the West over rare earth metals.

Domestic

China Targets Top Military Officials with Corruption Probes

By Contributor Edward Lee 


In recent months, a wave of removals and purges has hit the highest levels of China’s military and political leadership, threatening domestic unity and also demonstrating a rapid consolidation of state power.

General He Weidong making a speech before the Central Military Commission in June  2025 (Via Reuters)


Major Crackdown: While corruption scandals and leadership removals are not a new phenomena in Chinese society, a recent wave of arrests and disappearances of key members of the Central Military Commission (CMC) has raised alarm bells. Since 2022, upwards of 20 general grade officers of the PLA army, navy, and aerospace forces have been found guilty of corruption or "violation of discipline". These removals are part of a broader theme of internal instability within the country's political elite, with the powerful Fujian and Shanghai factions presenting themselves as credible threats to Xi's rule. These tensions have boiled over with the removal of the CMC's third-highest-ranking official, He Weindong, for alleged "grave offenses". 


Shifting Power: With factional rivalries proliferating inside China, Xi has taken increasingly combative measures to quash dissent and cultivate loyalty within the highest echelons of government. Removing CMC members allows Xi to appoint loyalists to the body, effectively clearing the way for dissent. Xi's bolstering of anti-corruption campaigns, which have garnered strong public support, also enables targeting rival groups within critical industries. These measures follow recent party communiques, in which Xi urged members to "turn the knife inward", to eliminate those who step out of line.


An Unclear Future: With Xi approaching his 13th year in office, many have begun to see purges like these as a central part of his regime's power preservation. With China's global military and economic influence continuing to rise, it has never been more critical for Xi to surround himself with figures who value loyalty above all else. To many observers, this is yet another piece of a trend towards a potential military action against Taiwan, as the high anticipated costs of any action necessitate full buy-in from party leaders.  Finally, the rising cost of living and a slowing economy have sparked widespread backlash from the country's business elites, many of whom are tied to Shanghai party cadre. This growing internal pressure threatens to undermine long-term strategic goals, leading Xi to consider broader measures to correct course.


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