Photo by Shuaizhi Tian
China removed General Miao Hua, a senior figure in China’s military and a member of the country’s top military body, from the National People’s Congress (NPC), according to a statement issued by the legislature’s Standing Committee.
Miao had been under investigation since November for “serious violations of discipline,” a phrase widely understood as a reference to corruption, the South China Morning Post reported on Wednesday.
Once the youngest general in the Chinese military hierarchy, Miao was a member of the Central Military Commission (CMC), the powerful body overseeing the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and chaired by President Xi Jinping. He also served as director of the CMC’s Political Work Department, a key post responsible for ideological oversight and personnel management within the armed forces.
The Chinese Defence Ministry confirmed in November that Miao was under probe, with ministry spokesperson Sr. Col. Wu Qian acknowledging his suspension from duties.
Miao is the second member of the current CMC leadership to be removed since Xi’s new administration took office in 2022. The first was former defence minister Li Shangfu, who was dismissed in October 2023.
Miao’s rise through the ranks was closely tied to Xi Jinping’s ascent. Having previously worked in party positions in Fujian province, Miao later moved into military roles, serving as political commissar in the Chinese Navy before being promoted to the youngest admiral in the PLA.
His removal comes amid an ongoing anti-corruption campaign in the Chinese military, which has seen numerous top officers investigated or dismissed. Since taking power in 2012, Xi has emphasized strict party loyalty and ideological control over the armed forces as part of his broader goal of transforming China into a leading global military power.
