The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's legislature, announced on 4/2 the dismissal of Liu Changli, Luo Qi, and Zhou Xinmin from their delegate positions. All three previously held key roles in the country's defense industry.

The NPC did not specify the reasons for their dismissals. While no official statement confirms they are under investigation, they have been absent from important meetings or recently removed from their posts. Their removal from the NPC suggests potential further disciplinary measures, including prosecution.

In recent years, China has invested significantly in its defense industry to modernize its military. However, this sector has also been a focus of Beijing's anti-corruption campaign over the past three years.

From left to right: Zhou Xinmin, Luo Qi, and Liu Changli. Photos: SCMP, CAEP, AVIC

Liu Changli, aged 64, worked at the China Academy of Engineering Physics (CAEP), a unit researching and producing nuclear weapons, for many years before his appointment as director in 2015. Located in Mianyang, Sichuan province, southwest China, CAEP is a highly classified facility developing advanced defense science and technology. Many senior Chinese leaders, including former chairman Jiang Zemin and former premiers Zhu Rongji and Wen Jiabao, have visited this facility. Liu, a nuclear weapons expert, was elected an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the country's leading research institution, in 2021. According to the academy, he participated in research on detonation, shockwave physics, and nuclear weapons development for many years. He was removed as CAEP director in 6/2024.

Zhou Xinmin, aged 56, was appointed chairman of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) in 2024. AVIC is involved in the research and production of military equipment, particularly fighter jets and unmanned aerial vehicles. Zhou was likely removed from his position last July. Before that, he worked for 25 years at a group subsidiary, overseeing helicopter research and development, starting in 1991.

The third delegate dismissed was Luo Qi, aged 58, who served as chief engineer of the China National Nuclear Corporation since 2022. Most of his career was dedicated to nuclear propulsion research.

Over the past three years, many senior officials in China's defense industry have faced investigation and discipline for corruption. China's Ministry of National Defense announced last month that Central Military Commission Vice Chairman Zhang Youxia was under investigation for "serious violations of discipline and law," a phrase often used to refer to corruption. Joint Staff Department Chief Liu Zhenli, a Central Military Commission member, was also investigated on similar allegations.

General Zhang Youxia previously headed the General Armaments Department, the unit responsible for procuring and developing equipment and weaponry for the Chinese military. Beijing did not disclose details of the alleged violations by Zhang and Liu, but PLA Daily, the military's official newspaper, published editorials accusing them of "seriously trampling and undermining the highest responsibility system belonging to the chairman of the Central Military Commission."

Huyen Le (According to SCMP, PLA Daily)