China’s Rocket Force faces procurement scrutiny amid purges and a public tip line

China is reportedly seeking public tips about procurement violations involving the Rocket Force, a separate military branch responsible for missiles and rockets. China created the force a few years ago, following a model traced to the Soviet Union and compared with the U.S. Space Force.

A Bloomberg report from roughly three or four years ago alleged that half of China’s rockets were filled with water rather than fuel. Multiple rounds of purges reportedly followed, including the removal of about two generations of senior Chinese military leadership.

The public tip line is reportedly intended to surface information about possible procurement abuses, including the alleged theft of rocket fuel. The available account does not establish whether water-filled rockets resulted from corruption or deliberate deception, and it does not establish the Rocket Force’s current operational condition.