China Removes Retired Generals

Han Weiguo, Gao Jin, and Liu Lei Ousted Ahead of Annual Two Sessions

BEIJING – China has removed three retired military generals from its leading political advisory body, the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), just days before its largest annual political gathering. The generals affected include Han Weiguo, Gao Jin, and Liu Lei, according to state media.

Officials have not provided a public explanation for the dismissals. However, the move comes amid a broader series of military and political purges in recent weeks. Critics have argued that China’s ongoing anti-corruption campaigns, launched under President Xi Jinping since 2012, may also serve as a tool to sideline political rivals.

The CPPCC, an advisory body with no legislative power, along with the National People’s Congress (NPC), will convene this week in Beijing for the annual Two Sessions. The meetings typically last about a week, and delegates usually serve five-year terms, making these mid-term removals unusual.

Han Weiguo, aged 70, led China’s ground forces in the People’s Liberation Army from 2017 until he stepped down in mid-2021. Liu Lei, also 70, held the position of political commissar of the PLA army from December 2015 to January 2022. Gao Jin, 67, was the first commander of the Strategic Support Force in 2015 and later led the Central Military Commission’s Logistic Support Department until his retirement in January 2022.

Several other CPPCC members were also removed, including Zhang Kejian, a senior defense industry official under investigation for corruption. These latest removals continue a sequence of significant personnel changes in China’s armed forces and political advisory bodies, including last week’s 19 official dismissals and the earlier exit of high-ranking generals Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli in January.

The developments mark a continuation of China’s strict enforcement of discipline and restructuring efforts within both the military and political advisory systems.