China’s top legislature removes 9 military officials ahead of Beijing’s ‘two sessions’

China’s top legislature has removed nine military officials from its list of deputies ahead of Beijing’s biggest annual political meeting next week, according to state news agency Xinhua.Among the deputies removed were five full generals, one lieutenant general and three major generals.The five generals are information support force political commissar Li Wei; ground forces commander Li Qiaoming; former navy commander Shen Jinlong; former navy political commissar Qin Shengxiang; and former air force political commissar Yu Zhongfu.Also on the list were lieutenant general Wang Donghai, political commissar of the Central Military Commission’s (CMC) National Defence Mobilisation Department, and major generals Bian Ruifeng of the CMC, Ding Laifu of the ground forces and Yang Guang of the rocket force.The authorities gave no explanation for the removals but such adjustments often relate to changes in status, investigations or terminations of qualifications.