The ongoing purge of corruption in the Chinese army is leading to serious shortcomings in the command structure and has likely hampered the readiness of the rapidly modernizing armed forces. This is according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies, quoted by "Reuters".
The purges are likely to be incomplete, although they have so far covered the Central Military Commission, theater commands, weapons procurement and development, as well as defense academia, the leading defense research center said.
"From an organizational perspective, until the vacancies are filled, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) is operating with serious deficiencies in its command structure," the London-based institute's annual "Military Balance" - a study of global military forces, which is a key research tool for analysts.
The report was published after a disciplinary investigation was launched against China's two highest-ranking generals as part of the largest military purges in decades. Zhang Yuxia, a veteran military ally of President Xi Jinping, was investigated in January, and He Weidong was dismissed in October last year.
The crackdown has reduced China's seven-member top military command to a committee of just two - Xi himself and newly promoted Vice Chairman Zhang Shenming.
The report described the effects of the purge as "temporary" and added that "modernization is likely to continue at a rapid pace".
To that end, the report outlines China's broad and assertive projection of military power in the Indo-Pacific region in support of territorial claims and state activity, noting an increased deployment of troops around Taiwan by 2025.
Xi made a rare comment on the crackdown in an online address to the Chinese armed forces earlier this month.
"The past year has been unusual and extraordinary," he said. "The People's Army has deepened its political re-education, effectively dealt with various risks and challenges, and undergone a revolutionary transformation in the fight against corruption".
The International Institute for Strategic Studies notes that the growth of Chinese military spending has consistently outpaced the rest of Asia amid a global surge in defense budgets.
China's share of the total regional budget is expected to rise to nearly 44% in 2025, compared with an average of 37% between 2010 and 2020.