China’s NPC Concludes Session with Landmark Legislation and Military Leadership Shakeup
China’s top legislature concluded its 24th session of the 14th National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee in Beijing on August 28, passing five laws, approving significant personnel changes, and formally removing two senior military leaders from the Central Military Commission (CMC). The four-day session, presided over by NPC Standing Committee Chairman Zhao Leji, marked one of the most consequential legislative and personnel cycles in recent Chinese political history.
Landmark Legislation Passed
The session reviewed ten draft laws and passed five, according to Xinhua News. President Xi Jinping signed Presidential Orders No. 80 through 85 to promulgate the new legislation.
The most significant piece of legislation is the Medical Security Law, a landmark social welfare law set to take effect on January 1, 2027. The law, comprising seven chapters and 56 articles, establishes a comprehensive framework for China’s medical insurance system. Key provisions include encouraging flexible employment workers to join basic medical insurance, establishing a long-term care insurance system, promoting provincial-level coordination of basic medical insurance, and improving cross-provincial direct settlement of medical expenses.
According to China News Service, the law also strengthens penalties for medical insurance fraud, with violators facing fines of two to five times the amount fraudulently obtained. The legislation codifies protections for vulnerable groups, including subsidies for low-income families and poverty-alleviation beneficiaries participating in basic medical insurance.
The session also passed the Cultivated Land Protection and Quality Improvement Law, aimed at safeguarding national food security and protecting China’s arable land red line of 1.8 billion mu. Additionally, lawmakers approved revisions to the Agriculture Law, the National Defense Mobilization Law, and a decision amending the Lawyers Law.
Zhao Leji highlighted the significance of the new laws in his closing remarks, noting that the Medical Security Law “implements the health-first development strategy and further consolidates the legal guarantee for the people’s access to medical care,” while the Cultivated Land Protection Law is “of great significance for safeguarding national food security and the effective supply of important agricultural products.”
Military Leadership Purge Reaches Formal Conclusion
Perhaps the most consequential action of the session was the formal removal of Zhang Youxia as Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission and Liu Zhenli as a CMC member. Both officials had been under investigation since January 24, 2026, when China’s Ministry of National Defense announced they were being investigated for “serious violations of discipline and law.”
The formal removal at the state level marks the culmination of a process that began with their investigation, as Voice of America reported. Zhang Youxia, who was the first-ranking vice chairman of the CMC and widely considered the second most powerful figure in China’s military hierarchy after Xi Jinping, had been viewed as one of Xi’s most trusted military leaders.
The Liberation Army Daily’s editorial following their investigation stated that they “seriously betrayed the trust and important tasks of the Party Central Committee and the Central Military Commission, seriously trampled and undermined the Chairman responsibility system of the Central Military Commission,” as reported by RFI.
The removal leaves only Xi Jinping and Zhang Shengmin as publicly serving members of the State Central Military Commission, according to Deutsche Welle. The 2023-formed commission originally had seven members, but through successive investigations and removals, all except Xi and Zhang Shengmin have been removed from their positions.
Dennis Wilder, former CIA senior analyst for China affairs at Georgetown University, told VOA that Xi Jinping’s purge extends beyond the highest-ranking generals: “As we have seen in other cases, Xi Jinping will not only purge the highest-ranking generals he considers disloyal, but also their subordinates… This round of purges may continue until Xi Jinping judges that Zhang Youxia’s influence in the military has been completely eliminated.”
Personnel Changes Across Government Institutions
The session also approved a series of personnel changes across multiple government institutions. Li Changguan was appointed as Minister of Civil Affairs, replacing Lu Zhiyuan. Ni Yuefeng, the former Hebei Provincial Party Secretary, was appointed as Deputy Director of the NPC Social Development Affairs Committee.
At the National Supervisory Commission, Zhao Shiyong and Zhang Zhong were appointed as Deputy Directors, replacing Xiao Pei and Fu Kui. Dang Guangsuo was appointed as Vice President of the Supreme People’s Court, replacing Shen Liang. The session also approved the Extradition Treaty between China and Hungary.
Legislative Agenda Under the 15th Five-Year Plan
Zhao Leji’s closing speech emphasized the legislative priorities for the “15th Five-Year Plan” period (2026-2030), calling for strengthened legislation in “key areas, emerging areas, and foreign-related areas.” He noted that the Ecology and Environment Code, which took effect on August 15, 2026, has expanded China’s legal system to eight legal departments.
The session also reviewed the first draft of the Anti-Cross-Border Corruption Law, a six-chapter, 47-article law aimed at preventing and punishing cross-border corruption and deepening international anti-corruption cooperation. This reflects Xi Jinping’s broader anti-corruption campaign extending to international dimensions.
What to Watch For
The formal removal of Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli raises significant questions about the future composition of China’s military leadership. With only Xi Jinping and Zhang Shengmin remaining on the State CMC, observers will be watching closely for new appointments and whether the purge extends further into the military hierarchy.
Additionally, the implementation of the Medical Security Law in January 2027 will be a key test of China’s ability to deliver on its social welfare commitments. The law’s provisions on long-term care insurance and cross-provincial medical settlement represent significant administrative challenges that will require substantial coordination across provinces.
As China moves forward under the 15th Five-Year Plan, the legislative agenda set by this session signals continued emphasis on social welfare, food security, and legal system development—while the military restructuring suggests Xi Jinping’s consolidation of control over the armed forces remains a central priority.