China Removes Disaster Management Minister and Former Regional Party Secretary Ahead of Key Legislative Meetings

Beijing. Chinese state media reported on Thursday that China has removed its Minister of Emergency Management and a former regional party secretary from their posts. China is set to begin its annual legislative meetings, known as the 'Two Sessions,' starting next Wednesday, with thousands of delegates arriving in Beijing from across the country.

The Standing Committee of the nation's top legislature, the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), voted to remove Wang Xiangxi as the Minister of Emergency Management. The committee also voted to remove Liu Shaoyun from his post as the head of the military court of the People's Liberation Army.

The committee also removed 19 deputies from the NPC, state media reported on Thursday. Among the officials removed from duty is Sun Shaochang, the former secretary of the 'Inner Mongolia Party,' who is reportedly under investigation for 'serious violations of discipline and law.'

Other removed officials include nine military officers, including former Navy Commander Shen Jinhlong and Ground Force Commander Li Qiaoming. The reasons for removing the deputies were not specified. Chinese President Xi Jinping praised the military's 'fight against corruption' earlier this month.

Last January, the Chinese Ministry of National Defense stated that Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission Zhang Youxia and Chief of Staff of the CMC's 'Joint Staff Department' Liu Zhenli were under investigation.

Liu and Zhang are the latest to be removed in a massive campaign to eradicate corruption at all levels of the Chinese Communist Party and the state since Xi came to power more than a decade ago.

In recent years, this campaign has targeted the military.