China conducted a significant restructuring, expelling nine military officials, including four generals from the strategic missile unit, from its parliament following the appointment of the new defence minister.
The state news agency Xinhua announced this decision late on Friday, following a meeting of the Communist Party’s Central Committee. No official explanation was provided for the removal of these officials.
This reshuffling aligns with a series of high-level changes within the military establishment since the abrupt dismissal of Defence Minister Li Shangfu in October, after his disappearance from public view in August.
Dong Jun’s recent appointment as the new defence minister, ending a prolonged vacancy in this crucial role, marked the latest development. Recent months have also seen changes in leadership within China’s secretive Rocket Force, which oversees Beijing’s nuclear arsenal, amid reports of a corruption investigation involving its former chief.
The nine dismissed military officials, who sat in the National People’s Congress as non-elected representatives, “suggest that those officers are being probed and confirms some of the rumours circulating on the topic,” according to SinoInsider, a US-based firm specializing in Chinese politics.
Dong Jun’s appointment underscores President Xi Jinping’s efforts to bolster China’s military prowess, aiming to elevate the country’s status as a global power. The defence minister serves as a public face for the People’s Liberation Army, engaging with the media and other military entities, although the military has limited influence in its administration compared to other nations.
