China removes nine senior military officials ahead of annual parliamentary session

China’s parliament on Thursday removed nine suspended senior military officials from its list of deputies, endorsing disciplinary action taken against them by the ruling Communist Party ahead of the country’s key annual political meetings next month.

The decision was taken by the standing committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) , China’s top legislative body, just days before the commencement of the annual “Two Sessions” the NPC and the advisory Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) scheduled to begin on March 4.

With the removals, the number of deputies representing the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and the People’s Armed Police in the NPC has been reduced to 243. The NPC has a total membership of over 2,900 members, most of whom are Communist Party officials or party-backed representatives.

Among those removed were five full generals, one lieutenant general and three major generals, underscoring the scale of the ongoing purge within China’s military establishment.

The latest action follows sweeping disciplinary measures taken in 2024, when several senior officers of the PLA were removed amid an anti-corruption drive led by President Xi Jinping , who also heads the Central Military Commission (CMC) , the supreme command authority of the Chinese armed forces.

Last month, two senior military officials, including top-ranking officer General Zhang Youxia, were reportedly placed under investigation for serious violations of Communist Party discipline and corruption, triggering shockwaves within the military. Zhang, the first-ranking Vice Chairman of the CMC, is regarded as the highest-ranking uniformed officer in the PLA. His removal reportedly left the seven-member CMC with only two serving members Xi Jinping and General Zhang Shengmin, head of the military’s discipline inspection body with other positions yet to be filled.

Chinese authorities did not provide specific reasons for Thursday’s removals. However, according to the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post , such changes typically reflect investigations, changes in status, or termination of qualifications.

The Two Sessions are expected to unveil major policy directions covering the military, economy, trade and diplomacy. During the meetings, China is also set to approve the full text of its 15th Five-Year Plan, which will guide national policy priorities through 2030.