The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is experiencing growing instability in 2026, with investigations into services and units associated with the February 26 incidents potentially disrupting leadership readiness and war-preparation efforts. Following the February 26 purge, five former senior officers who previously led the PLA Army, Navy, Air Force, and Information Support Force were dismissed. Additionally, two Chinese commanders from the 73rd Group Army stationed in Fujian Province, directly opposing Taiwan, and three Generals from Central Military Commission (CMC)-level organizations were relieved of their duties.
“On February 26, prior to the crucial annual Two Sessions meetings, China’s National People’s Congress (NPC) removed 10 People’s Liberation Army (PLA) officers from their posts as NPC deputies. This action, according to a report in ‘The Diplomat,’ typically signifies significant trouble for the individuals involved,” the report highlighted. The reasons for their removal were not provided by the NPC, but an analysis suggests that their connections to previously purged Generals led to their ousting, setting off a chain reaction within the PLA.
The report indicates that the ongoing investigations may be undermining PLA operational readiness and causing concern among the officer corps, potentially implicating more officers in relation to the February 26 cases in the coming months. Retired Admiral Shen Jinlong, former Commander of the PLA Navy (PLAN) from 2017 to 2021, along with his political commissar, Admiral Qin Shengxiang, were stripped of their NPC positions. Shen, a career naval officer, and Qin, who mainly worked at the Central Military Commission (CMC), saw their removals likely influenced by their ties to purged Generals.
Earlier purges, notably in 2025 and January 2026, are having a ripple effect within the PLA, leading to rising insecurity among officers. The expanding vortex of purges is expected to impact morale and leadership quality in frontline units, such as the 73rd Group Army stationed across from Taiwan.
