China’s national legislature has dismissed 19 deputies, including nine military officers, just a week before the opening of its annual parliamentary session. The announcement, made late Thursday, did not specify the reasons for the removals, though such actions are typically linked to ongoing anti-corruption investigations within the ruling system.

The dismissals come amid a sweeping anti-corruption campaign spearheaded by Chinese President Xi Jinping, now in his 14th year in power. The campaign, which has spanned more than a decade, has increasingly focused on the military establishment as Xi pushes to modernise and consolidate control over the armed forces. Observers note that the purge has targeted senior figures across various branches, reinforcing central authority within the ranks.

The deputies were removed from the National People's Congress (NPC), China’s top legislative body, which is set to convene next week for its annual session. While the NPC is constitutionally the highest organ of state power, it largely formalises decisions already made by the ruling Communist Party. Analysts say the latest dismissals are unlikely to significantly affect the proceedings of the week-long meeting.

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Among those removed are two officials affiliated with the Central Military Commission, the military’s highest governing body, along with officers from the army, navy, air force and rocket force. Three of the dismissed officers hold the rank of general. The rocket force, responsible for overseeing China’s nuclear arsenal, has been a particular focus of recent investigations and leadership reshuffles.

In addition to the 19 deputies, the NPC’s Standing Committee also removed two senior officials, including Emergency Management Minister Wang Xiangxi, who was announced last month as being under investigation for alleged corruption. The removals reduce the NPC’s total membership to 2,878 deputies and underscore the continued intensity of Beijing’s anti-graft drive ahead of one of the country’s most closely watched political gatherings of the year.

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