Overview
- China’s legislature removed five PLA generals as National People’s Congress deputies, including former ground and navy chiefs Li Qiaoming and Shen Jinlong, signaling the campaign’s continuation ahead of the March political meetings.
- The International Institute for Strategic Studies says the PLA is operating with serious deficiencies in its command structure until vacancies are filled, likely denting near-term readiness.
- A CSIS study counts 36 senior officers officially purged and 65 missing or potentially purged since 2022, impacting roughly 52% of 176 top leadership posts across all services, with the Rocket Force most affected.
- Disciplinary probes reached the apex in January with investigations into Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli, leaving Xi and newly elevated Zhang Shengmin as the most prominent active members of the Central Military Commission.
- Analysts note slower implementation of 2025 exercises around Taiwan, yet assess the disruption as temporary as defense spending grows and military modernization continues.