China Dismisses Three Defense-Linked Lawmakers Amid Military Modernization Push

By Colleen Howe and Ethan Wang

BEIJING, Feb 5 (Reuters) – China has removed three senior lawmakers with deep ties to the country's defense industrial complex from their legislative positions, state media reported Wednesday. The dismissals follow the recent announcement of an investigation into a top military general and underscore the ongoing scrutiny within strategic sectors central to President Xi Jinping's military modernization drive.

The official Xinhua News Agency announced the removals without providing specific reasons or indicating whether the individuals themselves are under investigation. The three lawmakers—Zhou Xinmin, former chairman of the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC); Liu Cangli, a longtime nuclear weapons researcher; and Luo Qi, chief engineer at the China National Nuclear Corporation—represent the aerospace and nuclear pillars of China's defense establishment.

The development comes just weeks after China's Defense Ministry confirmed it was investigating General Zhang Youxia, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, for suspected "serious violations of discipline and law." General Zhang, a key Xi ally, has been a prominent point of contact for U.S. military officials seeking to manage tensions between the two powers.

Analysts note the timing is significant, occurring roughly a month before the annual session of the National People's Congress, which will set the policy tone for the next five-year planning cycle. President Xi has set a goal of achieving full military modernization by 2035, a monumental task for the world's second-largest defense spender. However, foreign assessments, including from the U.S. Pentagon, have suggested that systemic corruption could hamper technological progress and operational readiness.

Zhou Xinmin's removal is particularly notable. Appointed as AVIC chairman in March 2024, his biography has since been scrubbed from the company's website. Notably, AVIC held a meeting focused on anti-corruption work just one day before his dismissal was made public. His predecessor at AVIC, Tan Ruisong, was expelled from the Communist Party for corruption last year.

The provincial legislatures that formally dismissed the lawmakers did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Reaction & Analysis:

"This is a clear signal that the anti-corruption campaign in the military-industrial sphere is not slowing down," said Michael Chen, a defense policy analyst based in Singapore. "Removing figures of this stature, especially before the NPC meeting, reinforces the message that no sector is immune. The challenge for Beijing is ensuring these probes do not create paralysis in key research and development programs."

"It's pure political theater," argued Sarah Jennings, a former diplomatic attaché with a sharp focus on Sino-U.S. relations. "They remove a respected U.S. contact like General Zhang, then purge industry technocrats. This doesn't look like 'modernization'; it looks like consolidation of control at the expense of expertise and stable external communication channels. It increases risk, not readiness."

David Li, a Hong Kong-based commentator on Chinese governance, offered a more measured view: "These actions are consistent with the long-term pattern of the Xi administration. The goal is to ensure absolute loyalty and discipline in the most sensitive sectors. While disruptive in the short term, the leadership likely believes it is a necessary step to eliminate waste and ensure resources directly fuel the modernization targets."

"The link between the general's probe and these dismissals is indirect but palpable," noted Priya Sharma, a fellow at the Institute for Strategic Studies. "It suggests the investigation's net may be widening beyond the uniformed military into the sprawling state-owned enterprises that equip it. The 'revolving door' between military command, state industry, and legislative bodies is now under the microscope."

(Reporting by Colleen Howe and Ethan Wang; Editing by William Mallard)