Xi Jinping's high-rank purges show a 'systemic rot' in China's military that could threaten its readiness for war: senior US official

• China's latest military purge shows that it's suffering from more than just graft, a senior US official said.
• It's likely the PLA's corruption had a material effect on its war capabilities, said Ely Ratner.
• Ratner said these systemic issues will likely alter Beijing and Washington's calculus on potential war.

Beijing's recent purge of top defense officials signals that its military is grappling with a sort of corruption different from typical graft in China, and that could undermine its capacity for war, a senior US official said.