China's top legislative body has removed nine military officials from its roster ahead of the annual political meeting next week. The National People's Congress (NPC) updated its list of deputies from the military delegation on Thursday, reducing the number of representatives from the People's Liberation Army and the People's Armed Police to 243.
Among those removed were Ground Force commander Li Qiaoming, Information Support Force political commissar Li Wei, and several other officers from the army, navy, air force, and rocket force. No official reason was given for the decision, which comes weeks after President Xi Jinping ousted his highest-ranking general and long-time ally Zhang Youxia.
The dismissals are part of a sweeping military purge that began in 2023, when Xi launched a campaign against corruption in the armed forces. Critics claim the campaign is also used to purge political rivals. Since then, two dozen senior military figures have been removed, including a former defence minister and two vice military chiefs.
The International Institute for Strategic Studies, a UK-based security think tank, said in a report this week that the purges have left serious deficiencies in the Chinese military's command structure, likely hampering readiness. The think tank noted that until vacancies are filled, the People's Liberation Army is operating with a weakened command structure.
