China removes nine military officials ahead of key political meeting

3 hours agoYvette TanGetty ImagesSince coming to power, Xi has launched waves of anti-corruption drivesChina has removed 19 officials, including nine from the military, from its list of lawmakers ahead of its biggest annual political meeting next week.The removals were announced by the country's top legislative body, the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee. No official reason for the removal has been given, but it comes just weeks after President Xi Jinping removed Zhang Youxia, his highest-ranking general and also one of his closest military allies, from his role. Since coming to power, Xi has launched waves of anti-corruption drives, calling corruption "the biggest threat" to the Communist Party. However, some critics say it has been used as a tool to purge political rivals.According to a report by state media outlets, those removed include Li Qiaoming, commander of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Ground Force and Shen Jinlong, a former PLA Navy commander. Also on the list were several other military officers and a number of provincial officials including Sun Shaochong, the former party chief of the Inner Mongolia region. It comes just weeks after Zhang was removed from his post, after he was accused of "serious violations of discipline and law" - typically a euphemism for corruption.But it is also the latest in a series of purges of high-profile figures in the military over the last few years, including a October 2025 crackdown which saw nine top generals removed from their posts. Authorities at the time said the purges were part of an anti-corruption drive. Xi has made the fight against corruption a central pillar of his rule beginning with his "tigers and flies" anti-corruption drive targeting both high-level and low-level officials, launched shortly after he took power in 2013. He has said recently that the battle "remains grave and complex".Thousands of delegates are due to descend on the capital Beijing next week for the Two Sessions. These are- the annual meetings of the NPC, which is China's legislature, and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference which is the country's top political advisory body.The Two Sessions will run from March 4 to 11 and will see the government announce its five year plan, where it outlines its key policy objectives, and its annual economic targets.