Dong is being investigated as part of a larger investigation into corruption in the Chinese army, according to Financial Times (FT). The newspaper quotes anonymous US officials with knowledge of the matter.
Dong took over as defense minister in December 2023, after his predecessor was fired as a result of corruption. Now he is also being investigated as part of a larger investigation by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). He is thus the third sitting defense minister to be investigated for corruption, according to the FT.
However, in a statement to AFP, Chinese authorities say the investigation into the minister is “chasing clouds”, meaning they do not believe it is credible that the defense minister is guilty or involved.