New PLA Rocket force leadership; Consumption measures; Hopes for real estate policy support; US-China

Summary of today’s Essential Eight:

1. Xi purges PLA rocket Force leaders - Just weeks after the Foreign Minister disappeared, and the day before the PLA’s birthday, Xi appointed new leadership for the PLA Rocket Force, the group whose remit includes the PLA’s nuclear weapons. The purge of the Rocket Force leadership comes amidst reports that several members of the previous leadership are under investigation, and the death of the deputy commander earlier in July. There has been no announcement as to what is going on, only that there is a new commander and a new political commissar. South China Morning Post reported the proximate cause is corruption, the Financial Times cites two senior foreign government officials that the former leaders are under investigation for “leaking military information”. Maybe it is both, as corruption and selling secrets often go hand in hand? And if they did leak secrets, and as the PRC leadership has seen how well the US and allied intelligence services penetr…