China’s top legislature has taken the unusual step of removing nine senior military officials from its legislative body ahead of its most important annual political gathering, a move that underscores deepening internal shifts in the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). The decision, announced just days before the “Two Sessions” — the National People’s Congress (NPC) and Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference — reflects both ongoing anti-corruption campaigns and the tightening grip of President Xi Jinping over the country’s military and political elite.
Removal of Military Deputies: The Facts
On February 26, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, China’s top legislative body, announced the removal of 19 deputies from the NPC, including nine senior military officials from the PLA and People’s Armed Police delegation. The decision, published at the end of the committee’s 21st meeting in Beijing, came without detailed official explanations but was widely interpreted as part of broader personnel adjustments ahead of the annual Two Sessions, which begin on March 4.
Among those removed were:
- Five full generals,
- One lieutenant general,
- Three major generals.
The list included high-rank PLA figures such as commanders and political commissars from the army, navy, air force, and information support branches. Their names featured prominently on the updated list of military deputies, whose reduction shrinks the PLA’s NPC delegation to 243 members.
Context: Anti-Corruption Campaign or Power Consolidation?
The purge comes amid a sustained campaign targeting corruption and discipline violations within the PLA — a campaign that has gathered pace since President Xi secured an unprecedented third term and continues to reshape the military’s leadership landscape. Earlier this year, two of the PLA’s highest-ranking generals, including a former Central Military Commission (CMC) vice chairman, were reported under investigation for “serious violations of discipline and law,” the standard phrasing in official sources for corruption or related offenses.
State media and official communiqués have not provided detailed reasons for the recent removals, but analysts see the action as a continuation of efforts to enforce party loyalty within military ranks and to forestall potential challenges to Xi’s authority. Critics argue that the anti-corruption label may also serve as a pretext to sideline potential rivals or dissenters within the armed forces — a trend observed over the past several years of reshuffles and dismissals.
This purge is part of a much broader pattern: over recent years, more than half of the PLA’s senior leadership has seen officials investigated, removed, or replaced, reflecting an unprecedented level of internal turnover. Think tanks and foreign observers note that the scale of the shake-ups is rare in the modern history of the PLA, rivalled only by similar campaigns during earlier leadership transitions.
Strategic Implications on Military Leadership
The removal of senior generals from legislative roles not only diminishes their formal political weight but also signals a reconfiguration of the PLA’s connections with political power in Beijing. Traditionally, senior military leaders occupy NPC seats that afford them visibility and influence within China’s top legislative forum. Their abrupt dismissal suggests a tightening of ideological and political control over the armed forces.
Some removed deputies held operational or command posts that intersect with China’s key strategic priorities, including territorial defense and force modernization. Analysts warn that the loss of experienced commanders could have implications for military planning and readiness, especially at a time when China faces complex regional security dynamics.
Political Backdrop: The “Two Sessions” and CCP Priorities
The timing of the purge — immediately ahead of the Two Sessions — is significant. These annual gatherings are central to setting China’s national policy agenda, including economic targets, military budgets, foreign relations directives, and major personnel appointments. The NPC is formally China’s highest state body, even if real policy direction is defined by the CCP leadership.
Officials and analysts suggest that the removals may be intended to present a unified leadership slate aligned with Xi’s objectives, minimizing dissent ahead of legislative and consultative deliberations. By reshaping the military’s representation within the legislature, the leadership may also be seeking to pre-empt debates or objections over defense policy and party-Army relations.
Broader Political and Institutional Dynamics
Observers of Chinese elite politics see the purge as more than a routine personnel change. It occurs within a context of deeper debates inside the CCP about military loyalty, civil-military relations, and the balance between professional military expertise and political orthodoxy.
A recent report by a U.S. think tank highlighted concerns that intensive purges and personnel churns have undermined continuity in PLA leadership, potentially affecting its operational effectiveness and institutional cohesion. Critics argue that the emphasis on political loyalty over professional competence could have long-lasting consequences for China’s defense apparatus.
At the same time, defenders of the campaign point to the official anti-corruption rationale, arguing that rooting out malfeasance and enforcing discipline are necessary to maintain public trust and ensure that the military remains firmly under party control.
What Comes Next
As China’s Two Sessions unfold, further personnel announcements are expected, and the focus will likely turn to how military officials who remain in place are positioned in the broader leadership hierarchy. Foreign governments and defense analysts will watch closely for any signs that the PLA’s internal restructuring will affect China’s strategic posture, including its approach to Taiwan, regional security issues, and broader modernization plans.
The removal of these nine senior military deputies underscores the CCP leadership’s prioritization of political coherence and loyalty as it navigates a period of substantial domestic and international challenges. Whether this consolidation of control strengthens or strains China’s defense institutions will be a central question for observers in the months ahead.
