The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and People’s Armed Police delegation to the National People’s Congress was recently formed. Unlike in previous years, no deputy head was appointed. Personnel investigations and removals have also continued within the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps.
On March 3, 2026, the delegation of the PLA and the People’s Armed Police to the National People’s Congress was established.
Footage released by state broadcaster CCTV showed five PLA generals who are NPC deputies attending the meeting: Central Military Commission Vice Chairman Zhang Shengmin, Defense Minister Dong Jun, Central Theater Command commander Han Shengyan, Eastern Theater Command commander Yang Zhibin, and former Northern Theater Command political commissar Fan Xiaojun.
Yang Zhibin and Han Shengyan were promoted to the rank of general in December 2025. Fan Xiaojun is retired.
Traditionally, the head and deputy head of the PLA delegation to the National People’s Congress are held by the two vice chairmen of the Central Military Commission.
For the best of our weekly content！
You are now signed up for our newsletter
Check your email to complete sign up
From 2023 to 2025, the head and deputy head were Zhang Youxia and He Weidong, who were then serving as CMC vice chairmen. He Weidong was removed from office in March 2025. Zhang Youxia was removed on January 24, 2026.
Zhang Shengmin, who became a CMC vice chairman in October 2025, is serving as head of the 2026 delegation.
The other three CMC members—Zhang Youxia, He Weidong, and Liu Zhenli—have been removed from office. No deputy head was appointed for the delegation.
A blogger on the social media platform X using the account name “China Personnel Watch” reported that on March 5 the PLA and Armed Police delegation held group discussions to review the government work report.
Defense Minister Dong Jun, Central Theater Command commander Han Shengyan, and Eastern Theater Command commander Yang Zhibin spoke during the discussions. CMC Vice Chairman Zhang Shengmin and Yang Zhibin attended the same discussion group.
Lieutenant General Chen Demin, deputy director of the CMC Political Work Department, presided over another discussion group and delivered remarks.
Other active-duty lieutenant generals
According to the report, other active-duty lieutenant generals attending the March 5 discussions included Wang Chengnan and Xiong Zhaoyuan, both deputy directors of the CMC Political Work Department; Dong Li, deputy director of the CMC Joint Operations Command Center; Zhang Shaoying, deputy political commissar of the Western Theater Command and director of its Political Work Department; and Ji Duo, deputy political commissar of the Air Force.
The same source reported that former Southern Theater Command commander Yuan Yubai and former Southern Theater Command political commissar Wang Jianwu did not attend the March 5 group discussions. Both had attended a meeting of the NPC Standing Committee at the end of February.
Over the past two years, about 36 PLA deputies to the National People’s Congress have been removed, including 16 generals.
The military delegation originally had 281 members. According to the latest update on the official NPC website’s list of deputies, the number of military deputies is now 243, a reduction of 38.
The NPC deputy status of former CMC Vice Chairman Zhang Youxia and CMC member Liu Zhenli has not yet been revoked.
Continued investigations in the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps
Ma Xingrui, former Party secretary of Xinjiang, was absent from the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.
Personnel investigations have continued in the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps.
On Feb. 26, 2026, the website of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection reported that Mou Zongyi, deputy director of the Xinjiang Public Security Department and a first-level inspector, was under investigation for suspected serious violations of discipline and law.
Mou Zongyi previously served as deputy director of the Public Security Bureau of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps.
According to the Corps discipline inspection commission, on Jan. 22, 2026, Ruan Boping, former first-level inspector of the Second Division of the Corps, was placed under disciplinary review and supervision investigation for suspected serious violations of discipline and law.
Ruan had served as a member of the Party Standing Committee and deputy division commander of both the Tenth Division and the Second Division of the Corps.
On Jan. 8, 2026, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection announced that Li Xu, member of the Party Standing Committee and deputy commander of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, was removed from his positions as deputy commander of the Corps and deputy general manager of Xinjian Group Company. He is under disciplinary review and supervision investigation.
At the end of December 2021, Ma Xingrui replaced Chen Quanguo as Party secretary of Xinjiang. He concurrently served as first political commissar of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps and first secretary of the Corps Party Committee.
In June 2022, Li Xu was promoted to deputy commander of the Corps and deputy general manager of Xinjian Group Company. He later became a member of the Corps Party Standing Committee and also served as secretary-general of the Corps and secretary of the Party Committee Work Committee of the Corps’ directly affiliated organs.
Ma Xingrui was transferred to Beijing in July 2025.
From mid-April to the end of June 2025, the 13th Central Inspection Team of the CCP Central Committee was stationed in the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps.
Several officials removed from office
After the inspection, several officials were removed from office, including Song Quanwei, deputy director of the Caohu Project Area of the Corps; Wang Shengping, former political commissar of the Tenth Division of Beitun City; and Zhang Xuejun, Party secretary and political commissar of the 4th Regiment of the First Division.
Additional removals followed after Ma Xingrui left Xinjiang.
On Aug. 29, 2025, Yao Xiaoqin, former member of the Party Standing Committee of the Third Division of the Corps and former mayor of Tumxuk City, was removed from office.
On Oct. 28, 2025, Ning Feng, Party secretary and political commissar of the 29th Regiment of the Second Division and a second-level inspector, was removed.
On Dec. 8, 2025, Yang Zhengyu, Party secretary and political commissar of the 8th Regiment of the First Division, was removed.
On Jan. 8, 2026, the ninth plenary session of the Xinjiang Corps Party Committee was held. Deputy commander Li Guo attended the meeting.
On Feb.1, 2026, the eleventh plenary session of the Corps Party Committee was held. Li Guo did not attend the meeting, and his current whereabouts have not been disclosed.