China removes two top generals from its highest military command | World News - Hindustan Times

**China Removes Two Senior Generals from Its Central Military Commission**

Beijing announced on Tuesday that General Zhao Zongqi and General Liu Zhenli have been stripped of their membership in the Central Military Commission (CMC), the Communist Party’s highest‑level military decision‑making body. Zhao, the former commander of the Western Theater Command, oversaw the PLA’s 2020 Galwan Valley clash and the 2017 Doklam standoff with India. Liu, who served as chief of the Joint Staff Department, was responsible for overall operational planning and training across all service branches. Their removal was confirmed by a brief statement from the Ministry of National Defense, which said the two officers “have been relieved of their duties in accordance with Party regulations.”

The dismissals come amid a broader reshuffle that analysts say reflects President Xi Jinping’s continued effort to tighten control over the armed forces. Since assuming power in 2012, Xi has repeatedly purged senior PLA figures on grounds ranging from alleged corruption to “political unreliability,” a strategy intended to ensure the military’s absolute loyalty to the Party. Observers note that Zhao’s high‑profile confrontations with India made him a symbolic figure, and his ouster may signal a shift in Beijing’s approach to border disputes. Liu’s removal, on the other hand, is viewed as part of a systematic overhaul of the Joint Staff Department, which has been tasked with modernising China’s war‑fighting capabilities.

Reactions in the international community have been cautious. Indian officials, while not commenting directly on the personnel changes, said they were monitoring the developments for any impact on the fragile status‑quo along the Line of Actual Control. U.S. and European security analysts warned that rapid turnover in senior PLA ranks could create short‑term uncertainty in China’s military posture, but they also underscored that the underlying strategic objectives of the PLA are unlikely to change. The moves underscore the ongoing centralisation of power in Xi’s hands and illustrate how internal Party dynamics continue to shape China’s external security policies.

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