Beijing, Feb 4 (.) Amid its ongoing crackdown against entrenched corruption, the Chinese Communist Party has removed three senior defence industry executives, including a nuclear weapons expert, from the national legislature.
The CCP’s legislative branch, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress on Wednesday announced, that it expelled Liu Cangli, former president of the China Academy of Engineering Physics, Luo Qi, chief engineer of the China National Nuclear Corporation, and Zhou Xinmin, former chairman of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China.
While the standing committee did not mention why they had been fired, nor has there been any official statement indicating that any of the three were under any kind of inquiry, the three terminated officials had reportedly missed several key meetings or were removed from their jobs.
Their removal from the legislature suggests they may face further disciplinary action or criminal charges.
All the dismissed officials have held key positions in China’s defence industry, which has been one of the key targets of Beijing’s campaign against corruption in the past three years.
As per South China Morning Post, Liu, 64, was director of the China Academy of Engineering Physics (CAEP) – a classified nuclear weapons research and production unit responsible for developing cutting edge tech – for nine years from 2015. Prior to that he had worked at the institution for many years.
According to the academy he has been engaged in research on detonation, shock wave physics and nuclear weapons development for many years, but was removed from the CAEP in 2024.
Zhou, 56, became chairman of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China in 2024, and was expelled last year for unknown reasons. The body is responsible for developing military equipment and carrying out research, especially in regards to manufacture of fighter jets, engines, navigation systems, as well as drones.
The third dismissed official, Luo, 58, had served as chief engineer of China National Nuclear Corporation since 2022. Most of his career has been related to nuclear power propulsion research. His firing likewise did not have any explanation.
In the past three years, many senior figures in China’s defence industry have been placed under investigation and punished for corruption, while several have gone missing.
The three officials were fired a month after Beijing fired one of its senior-most military and politburo members and the closest military ally of President Xi Jinping, Gen Zhang Youxia, from the vice chairmanship of the powerful Central Military Commission. The reason cited was a “serious violation of discipline and law”, though reportedly, he had been accused of selling Chinese nuclear secrets to the US.
His suspension came alongside Gen Liu Zhenli, the chairman of the Chief of Joint Staff Department of the CMC, under the same reason, which is usually considered a euphemism for something entirely different, and usually kept under wraps.
Beijing has not given details of Zhang and Liu’s alleged violations but PLA Daily, the official mouthpiece of the military, has published several editorials accusing the two men of “trampling on and undermining” the “CMC chairman responsibility system”, though this can also be seen as a far more politically geared move, as it effectively gives Xi total say regarding all military matters.
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