On March 7, 2026, Chinese President Xi Jinping attended a plenary meeting of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and People's Armed Police Force delegation at the fourth session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, where he delivered an important speech stressing the need to fully leverage the unique strengths of enhancing political loyalty in the military to advance national defense and military modernization steadily.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, attended the plenary meeting and delivered an important speech after hearing remarks from six lawmakers. He stressed that since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, the Party Central Committee has led the armed forces to improve political rectification and advance political loyalty with unprecedented resolve and intensity, achieving significant results.
Xi warned that there must be no place in the military for those disloyal to the Party or for corrupt elements, and the fight against corruption must be unwaveringly advanced. At the start of the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), efforts must establish rigorous rules for strict oversight and closely monitor key areas such as fund flows, the exercise of power, and quality control.
According to Xinhua, the meeting underscores Xi's emphasis on strengthening the Party's leadership over the military comprehensively. The South China Morning Post reported that the armed forces' NPC delegation has shrunk from 281 members in 2023 to 243 this year, reflecting downfalls from anti-corruption efforts that have swept the country over the past decade, claiming numerous top generals and defense industry executives. The speech comes weeks after a top general faced investigation for corruption, highlighting ongoing ideological defenses in the People's Liberation Army.
