Chinese authorities removed two senior generals, Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli, from the state Central Military Commission on Friday, marking the latest step in a purge that has taken place since 2022.

The purge, initiated under President Xi Jinping, has led to the dismissal of dozens of high‑ranking military officers. The leadership of the National People’s Congress voted to strip the two four‑star generals of their positions on the commission, a body that advises the party’s Central Military Commission.

In addition, a retired four‑star general who commanded the Western Theater during the 2020 China‑India border clashes was removed from the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, and a senior aide to Xi Jinping, Zhong Shaojun, was dismissed from his seat in the National People’s Congress after disappearing from public view last year. Analysts noted that the removals appear to target officials linked to former leaders such as Zhang Youxia and to alleged corruption within the procurement system of the People’s Liberation Army.

Dennis Wilder, a former CIA analyst, said the pattern reflects Xi’s effort to eliminate both disloyal and subordinates, while Victor Shih of the University of California at San Diego suggested that large procur