China: Xi expels politicians and military officials from the People’s Congress

Anti-corruption campaign

Xi throws high-ranking politicians and military officials out of the People’s Congress

China’s People’s Congress fires generals and representatives again. But the reasons for this remain secret. Disciplinary investigators have had their sights set on a top politician for a long time.

China has expelled several high-ranking lawmakers from China’s People’s Congress. Six military generals, including Xu Xueqiang, were among the 13 officials affected, the National People’s Congress said. Xu was responsible for developing the equipment at the Central Military Commission, the most powerful body that commands the army.

The statement did not provide reasons for the dismissals from the non-freely elected parliament. According to official information, there are now 2,858 MPs there. The People’s Congress had already expelled several military officials in February shortly before its annual meeting.

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Head of state and party Xi Jinpingwho also heads the Central Military Commission, has been driving an anti-corruption campaign for several years that has affected many high-ranking generals in the military ranks. Prominent cases were the investigations against the two vice-chairmen of the committee, Zhang Youxia and He Weidong. From the previous seven members, only Xi and the head of the disciplinary committee, Zhang Shengmin, now sit on the commission.

According to the People’s Congress announcement, senior party cadre Ma Xingrui was also fired. Ma belongs to the Politburo and therefore to an inner leadership circle in the CP. Beijing had already made public an ongoing investigation against him. Signs that he might be in trouble began at the end of last year when Ma missed important meetings and mandatory appointments.

In July 2025, Ma lost his post as party leader in the western Xinjiang Autonomous Region. He should be given a new job, it was said at the time, without giving any further reasons for the decision. The studied engineer was considered an aspiring politician. He was therefore said to have close connections to China’s defense and aviation industries.