Chinese Regime Removes 19 Deputies as Fate of Top Generals Remains Unclear

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Mar 3, 2026 - 10:57 Updated: Mar 3, 2026 - 10:49
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Chinese Regime Removes 19 Deputies as Fate of Top Generals Remains Unclear

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China’s rubber-stamp congress has removed 19 national-level lawmakers, including nine senior military officers, a move that underscores ongoing upheaval within the People’s Liberation Army.

Yet one name was conspicuously absent—Zhang Youxia, former vice chairman of China’s powerful Central Military Commission (CMC), who had previously been announced in January 2026 as being under investigation.

On Feb. 26, the Standing Committee of the 14th National People’s Congress (NPC) concluded its 21st session in Beijing. The body announced that 19 deputies had been stripped of their credentials; they included nine military generals from various branches of the People’s Liberation Army, as well as political commissars and operational commanders.

Several insiders spoke to The Epoch Times on condition of anonymity out of fear of reprisal.

A source close to China’s military establishment told the publication that the breadth of the dismissals was itself a signal.

“Several full generals were removed, covering both the political and operational chains,” the source said. “This isn’t a targeted cleanup of one problem. The real difficulty lies in how they’ll handle Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli.” Liu is the former chief of the CMC’s Joint Staff Department.

Missing Names

Insiders noted that in two recent meetings of the NPC Standing Committee, Zhang’s name did not enter the formal removal process.

Under China’s political system, stripping a senior official of congressional deputy status is typically a procedural step that follows an internal Chinese Communist Party disciplinary decision. Once a case is formally concluded by Party investigators, the rubber-stamp congress usually moves in tandem to revoke that individual’s deputy credentials.

The departure from that pattern has drawn attention.

Another Beijing-based insider familiar with China’s military and political structures told The Epoch Times that disagreements within the Party appear to be slowing the process.

“When it was announced on Jan. 24 that Zhang and Liu were being taken down under a ‘central [Party] decision,’ normally the next step would be synchronized—their deputy status would be revoked,” the insider said.

“But this time the process hasn’t followed the usual process. The fact that Zhang hasn’t been placed on the removal list suggests a unified handling plan hasn’t been reached.”

Liu also has not appeared in any removal notice. Both Zhang and Liu previously ranked just below Chinese leader Xi Jinping in the Party’s military command hierarchy.

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(Left) Liu Zhenli at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on March 5, 2025; (Right) Chinese Central Military Commission Vice Chairman Zhang Youxia in Beijing on Oct. 15, 2024. Reuters/Russian Defense Ministry

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New Phase of Military Turmoil

The delay comes amid a broader, multi-year shake-up in China’s armed forces that has swept through elite units and command structures.

According to the Beijing-based insider, the latest purge is the fourth phase of a campaign that began roughly two years ago.

The first phase, in 2023, centered on the rocket force, China’s strategic missile arm, from which several top officers were removed in rapid succession. That episode raised questions about control over key weapons systems and internal trust within strategic units.
The second phase unfolded in 2024, when Beijing reorganized the military’s equipment and information systems. The information support force was established, and existing technical and command structures were dismantled and rebuilt.
By 2025, the campaign had expanded to theater commands and political commissar systems, affecting officials across the navy, air force, army, and the political work apparatus. The current phase, the insider said, appears to involve maneuvering at the CMC level itself.

A former researcher from the NPC’s Constitution and Law Committee told The Epoch Times that the NPC typically plays a procedural role in such cases, acting after internal Party organs—including the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and military discipline bodies—have completed their determinations.

“The removal of deputy status is usually a synchronized move once disciplinary authorities have reached a conclusion,” the former researcher said. “The fact that several senior generals were removed this time shows the rectification has reached the military’s core layers.

“But the absence of Zhang and Liu indicates competing forces within the Party are still in play.”

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Ousted Chinese military officials. Getty Images, Baidu, Namuwiki, Public Domain, CCTV

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Operational Impact

The ongoing reshuffle has had ripple effects within the armed forces, according to the source close to China’s military establishment. Routine activities, including internal military tours and certain command functions, have slowed.
Insiders previously revealed to The Epoch Times that since the announcement that Zhang and Liu were under investigation, there has been growing hesitation among lower-ranking officers to follow the regime’s chain of command.

In a highly centralized system in which political loyalty is prioritized, frequent high-level purges can lead to repeated restructuring of command hierarchies, the source said. Restoring stable operational coordination could take years.

“If there is mutual distrust internally, it’s difficult for the operational system to stabilize,” the source said. “This is not just about anti-corruption—it’s about how the system is wasting military and professional resources.”

Hu Ying contributed to this report. 
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