China ousts minister, strips lawmakers as Xi Jinping expands military graft crackdown

China widens anti-corruption purge before parliament

China has dismissed its minister of emergency management and revoked the legislative status of a former provincial Communist Party chief, state media reported on Thursday, after corruption investigations targeted both officials.

The move comes days before China convenes its annual parliamentary gatherings, known as the “Two Sessions”, which begin on Wednesday and bring thousands of delegates to Beijing.

According to state broadcaster CCTV, the Standing Committee of the 14th National People’s Congress (NPC) — the country’s highest legislative body — voted to remove Wang Xiangxi from his post as minister of emergency management following an investigation by the national anti-corruption watchdog.

The committee also voted to strip Liu Shaoyun of his role as president of the People’s Liberation Army’s military court, though no reason was provided for the decision.

In addition, 19 delegates were removed from the National People’s Congress, state media said.

Among them was former Inner Mongolia party secretary Sun Shaocheng, who is being investigated for “suspected serious violations of discipline and law”, a commonly used phrase in China referring to corruption.

Among those removed were nine military officials, including former Navy commander Shen Jinlong and ground forces commander Li Qiaoming.

Reasons for the removal of the deputies were not specified.

Chinese President Xi Jinping hailed the military's "fight against corruption" earlier this month in a rare acknowledgement of graft weeks after Beijing escalated a sweeping purge by probing its top general.

Beijing's defence ministry said in January it was investigating Zhang Youxia, a vice chairman of the powerful Central Military Commission (CMC), as well as Liu Zhenli, chief of staff of the CMC's joint staff department, which oversees combat planning.

Liu and Zhang were the latest to fall under a huge drive to root out graft at all levels of the Chinese Communist Party and state since Xi came to power more than a decade ago.

The drive has targeted the military in recent years.

(With AFP inputs)