China’s Annual Military Meeting Reveals Unusual Absence of Top Generals Amid Ongoing Purge

No full generals appeared at the Beijing gathering, highlighting ongoing purges and strain within the CCP’s military leadership.

Chinese military delegates leave the closing session of the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Oct. 22, 2022. Kevin Frayer/Getty Images

An annual military-political meeting in Beijing has drawn attention this year—not for what was said, but for who did not show up.

When Chinese state media aired footage from the Feb. 5 “Capital Military-Political Symposium,” only seven lieutenant generals and 13 major generals were in attendance, with no full generals present.