China removes five generals from national lawmaking body
One lieutenant general and three major generals were also removed from the list of deputies in China's top legislature.
Military delegates arrive for the closing session of the National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Mar 11, 2025. (File photo: AFP/WANG Zhao)
BEIJING: Chinese lawmakers have stripped five People's Liberation Army generals of their membership of parliament, a statement from the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress showed on Thursday (Feb 26).
Li Qiaoming, who has been the commander of the PLA Ground Force, and Shen Jinlong, former PLA Navy commander, were dismissed as NPC deputies.
Also removed were the current or former political commissars of the PLA Navy, Air Force and Information Support Force - Qing Shengxiang, Yu Zhongfu and Li Wei.
Several other military officers and a number of provincial officials - including Sun Shaocheng, the former party chief of the Inner Mongolia region - were also removed, the statement showed.
The development follows recent high-profile investigations involving the top military leaders, including deputy military chief Zhang Youxia, who is under probe over suspected "serious violations of discipline and law", a common euphemism for corruption.
The defence ministry also announced in January that it was investigating Liu Zhenli, chief of staff of the powerful Central Military Commission's joint staff department, which oversees combat planning.
According to the South China Morning Post, apart from the five generals, one lieutenant general and three major generals were also removed from the list of deputies in China's top legislature.
It comes as Beijing gears up for its biggest annual political meetings that kick off on Mar 4.
During the gathering, known as the Two Sessions, plans for the country’s policies, including those involving the military, economy, trade and diplomacy, will be unveiled.
