China Removes Nine Senior Military Officials
China has removed nine senior military officials from the national legislature ahead of a major political meeting. The reasons for the dismissals were not disclosed, sparking speculation within Beijing.
The latest removals from the National People's Congress span the highest echelons of the People's Liberation Army, including five full generals, one lieutenant general, and three major generals. Among those dismissed are prominent figures such as Li Qiaoming, commander of the PLA Ground Force, and Li Wei, the political commissar of the Information Support Force. The list of ousted officials also includes former navy commander Shen Jinlong, former navy political commissar Qin Shengxiang, and former air force political commissar Yu Zhongfu. Rounding out the nine are Lieutenant General Wang Donghai of the Central Military Commission's National Defence Mobilisation Department, and three major generals: Bian Ruifeng, Ding Laifu, and Yang Guang. This action is part of a broader and intensifying anti-corruption campaign under President Xi Jinping that has recently targeted the military's top brass. The campaign is increasingly viewed as a move to enforce "serious disciplinary and legal violations" and ensure absolute political loyalty to the Communist Party. These dismissals occurred just days before the "Two Sessions," China's largest annual political meeting where the nation's military, economic, and diplomatic policies are set. The timing suggests a move to consolidate control and send a strong message about discipline ahead of the key legislative sessions. The shake-up is the latest in a series of high-profile military purges over the past year. It follows the investigation of top generals like Zhang Youxia, a former close ally of Xi, and has left the powerful Central Military Commission, which Xi chairs, with significantly reduced membership. This sweeping anti-graft drive has had a significant impact on the PLA, with one think tank reporting that a high percentage of generals appointed in recent years have since been investigated or removed. The campaign has particularly focused on sectors responsible for procurement and technology, raising questions about its effect on China's military modernization goals. While official reasons for the removals remain undisclosed, the pattern points towards a systemic effort to root out deep-seated corruption that is believed to affect the PLA's combat readiness and the integrity of its equipment and procurement processes. This internal cleansing is seen as crucial for Xi's long-term vision of creating a "world-class military" by mid-century.
