Xi Urges PLA To Be Loyal To Chinese Communist Party As Purges Of Top Generals Rattle Military Ranks

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday (March 7, 2026) urged the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to be loyal to the Communist Party, amidst a wave of purges of top military generals that has rattled the rank and file.

Xi also camouflaged his elimination of all military rivals, including some loyalists among the top PLA generals over the last two years, as an anti-corruption drive.

“There is no place for corruption to hide. The fight against corruption must move forward,” Xi was quoted as saying by China’s state-run news agencies peddling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) propaganda.

Xi was speaking ahead of the annual meetings of China’s top political bodies, where the year’s economic targets would be listed.

When the annual meetings began on Wednesday (March 4), two senior Chinese officials were absent from the ranks of the highest power tier, indicating a purge just ahead of the meetings.

On Monday (March 2), Xi revoked the political advisory seats of three PLA generals, two of whom held key positions in the PLA, against seen as part of the anti-corruption drive.

Among the latest set of PLA generals removed were Han Weiguo, Gao Jin, and Liu Lei. They were members of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Committee (CPPCC), with key roles in its Standing Committee and special committees, the political advisory body said.

The authorities did not explain the removals, but such adjustments often relate to changes in status, investigations, or political disgrace.

Only a fortnight ago, Xi sacked nine military officials, who were part of the National People’s Congress (NPC), China’s highest legislative body.

These sackings from the top political bodies of China came just days after a report by American think tank CSIS China Project that projected the PLA purges go much deeper than previously known and could have a crippling effect on the future leadership of Chinese armed forces.