Chinese state media reported that the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) voted to remove Han Weiguo, Gao Jin, and Liu Lei, three retired generals, from their advisory roles just days before the start of the "Two Sessions" meeting. Analysts view this as a sign of a continued intense purge of corruption within the military.
This removal is seen as "unusual" because members of the CPPCC and the National People's Congress (NPC) typically serve their full five-year terms, with the current term scheduled to end in March 2028. However, this mid-term dismissal comes at a critical time just before over 3,000 members gather in Beijing for the "Two Sessions" meeting, starting tomorrow (4 March) and lasting one week.
Chinese authorities have not provided a clear reason for this dismissal, but all the removed individuals were former influential figures in the People's Liberation Army (PLA). Han Weiguo, aged 70, was the former army commander from 2017 to 2021. Notably, both of his successors, Liu Zhengli and Li Qiaoming, were also dismissed within the past two months.
Liu Lei, aged 70, was the former political commissar of the army, working alongside Han Weiguo during that period. Gao Jin, aged 67, was the first commander of the now-disbanded Strategic Support Force and served as head of logistics support for the Central Military Commission (CMC) until 2022.
In addition, other CPPCC members were also removed, including Zhang Kejian, a senior official in the defense industry who is currently under investigation for corruption.
This purge follows the removal of 19 senior officials last week, including nine military officers, and the dismissal of General Zhang Youxia, one of China’s top generals, and his close allies in January for "serious violations of discipline and law."
Since coming to power in 2012, President Xi Jinping has implemented a strict anti-corruption campaign. While some critics suggest this may be used to eliminate political rivals, recent events underscore that the Chinese military remains a primary target in Xi’s efforts to reorganize power within the country.
/BBC