The number of military representatives from the Chinese Communist Party’s two sessions has significantly decreased, with 36 senior generals being dismissed as National People’s Congress delegates, and two others retiring or transitioning to civilian roles within the past year.
In recent years, as the CCP’s military cleansing operations have escalated, there has been a sharp increase in the number of military officers transitioning to civilian roles. It is reported that after Deputy Chairman of the Central Military Commission, Zhang Youxia, was arrested, a new wave of resignations and transitions among CCP military officers emerged.
According to the official website of the National People’s Congress of the CCP, there are currently 243 military delegates; this list still includes the publicly disgraced Zhang Youxia and Military Commission member Liu Zhenli.
Following the 20th National Congress of the CCP, in early 2023, a total of 281 military and armed police officers were selected as the 14th National People’s Congress delegates. However, the current delegate list has decreased by 38 individuals.
In the past three years, internal conflicts and purges within the CCP’s military have intensified, resulting in the public dismissal of 36 senior CCP generals from their positions as delegates to the 14th National People’s Congress, including 16 senior generals, 14 lieutenant generals, and 6 major generals.
Public information also reveals that two individuals, Li Dong and Chen Yu, have retired or transitioned to civilian roles, being removed from the military delegation and transferred to local delegate groups.
Li Dong, who was transferred to the Hunan Province delegate group, served as a political commissar at the National University of Defense Technology’s Systems Engineering Institute and held the rank of Army Colonel. On March 3, 2026, Li Dong attended the first plenary meeting of the Hunan Province People’s Congress delegate group. A year prior, on March 7, 2025, Li Dong delivered a speech at the military delegation’s plenary meeting.
Chen Yu, who was transferred to the Anhui Province delegate group, is a female Hui ethnic minority from Bozhou, Anhui, born in October 1996. She enlisted in September 2013 and served as a Second-Class Senior Sergeant in a brigade of the 71st Group Army before retiring in September 2025.
According to the official website of the CCP’s Ministry of Veterans Affairs, in the year 2024, over 60,000 transitioning military officers and resettled retired soldiers were designated job placements. This figure remained consistent with the previous year 2023, with an additional 10,000 compared to 2022. In 2022, over 50,000 transitioning military officers and resettled retired soldiers were successfully placed in jobs. These figures do not include self-employment or retirement situations.
As of yet, the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of the CCP has not disclosed the number of transitioning military officers for the year 2025. However, public information indicates a significant increase in the number of transitioning military officers in 2025.
On November 27, 2025, the Fengtai District government of Beijing publicly stated that the task of resettling transitioning military officers in 2025 had significantly increased, adding to the work pressure.
On December 1, 2025, the city of Lianyungang in Jiangsu Province held a press conference on the transfer and resettlement of retired soldiers, disclosing a 50% increase in the task of resettling transitioning military officers compared to 2024.
A public account specializing in military retirement affairs, “Jun Lu Tong Xing,” analyzed in April 2025 that the number of military officer placements in 2025 would further increase compared to 2024. In mid-June of the previous year, it was revealed that the number of transitioning military officers resettled in various provinces and municipalities in 2025 had increased from the previous year.
On June 28, 2025, “Jun Lu Tong Xing” reported that Chengdu received 813 transitioning military officers in 2025, a significant increase of 51% from the 538 officers in 2024. On December 24, 2025, it was reported that Jiangsu Province historically had one of the highest numbers of transitioning military officer placements nationwide, with over 1,500 officers in 2025 compared to 1,400 in 2024.
Since the 20th National Congress of the CCP, from July 2023 to the present, the CCP’s military purges have continued to escalate, with five Vice Chairmen of the Military Commission and Military Commission members being investigated or “disappearing”, and dozens of senior generals being scrutinized.
On January 24, 2026, the Chinese Ministry of National Defense suddenly announced that Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission Zhang Youxia and Chief of Staff of the Central Military Commission Liu Zhenli were “suspected of serious violations of discipline and law” and would undergo investigations.
On January 26, the host of the YouTube program “True Viewpoint,” Zhen Fei, revealed details from a former officer of the 31st Group Army of the CCP concerning Zhang Youxia’s arrest and the current situation within the CCP’s military.
According to the retired officer, after Zhang Youxia was arrested, the news shocked both military officials and soldiers. Currently, all officers at the division level and above are submitting resignation and transition reports, indicating a widespread reluctance to continue serving under uncertain circumstances, leading to overwhelming coordination challenges within organizational units.
Additionally, Xi Jinping, the CCP’s leader, has called for public declarations of support from all group army commanders, yet most of them have remained silent. The retired officer mentioned that no one is willing to openly oppose Zhang Youxia because seniority holds significant weight within the military, and Zhang Youxia commands a high level of respect.
Moreover, a general refusal to support Xi Jinping has been noted among army commanders, with claims that he lacks credibility within the military and displays despicable behavior. This passive resistance has resulted in a standstill within the military, causing a lack of productivity and widespread protests among personnel.