New Delhi, Mar 3: China has removed three retired senior military officers from a top political advisory body just days before its biggest annual political meetings, the BBC has reported. State media said the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) voted to expel former generals Han Weiguo, Gao Jin and Liu Lei. No official reason was given for the move.
The removals come amid a renewed wave of purges within China’s military leadership. President Xi Jinping has led a wide-ranging anti-corruption campaign since taking power in 2012. While the campaign has targeted many officials, critics say it has also been used to sideline political rivals.
The decision was announced just before the start of the annual “Two Sessions” meetings in Beijing, where around 3,000 delegates from the CPPCC and the National People’s Congress gather for about a week of policy discussions. Members typically serve five-year terms ending in 2028, making these mid-term removals unusual.
