The CCP General Committee promotes Xi Jinping's main rival to vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission
The president will continue leading the party and China, but General Zhang Shengmin has gained strength following the dismissal of several senior military leaders loyal to Jinping.
Xi Jinping receives the military salute before beginning his inspection of troops.
The Central Committee of the ruling Communist Party of China (CCP) replaced 11 members at a key meeting, the biggest shake-up in its ranks since 2017, amid an ongoing military corruption purge.
The information was confirmed by state-run newspaper Xinhua which reported that veteran Chinese general Zhang Shengmin, 67, was promoted to second vice chairman of the Central Military Commission.
"The plenary session decided to add Zhang Shengmin as Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China (....) In accordance with the provisions of the Party Constitution, the plenary session decided to add alternate members of the Central Committee Yu Huiwen, Ma Hancheng, Wang Jian, Wang Xi, Wang Yonghong, Wang Tingkai, Wang Xinwei, Wei Tao, Deng Yiwu, Deng Xiuming and Lu Hong as members of the Central Committee," said the communist Party statement reported by the media outlet.
Zhang Shengmin replaces He Weidong
The information was released on the final day of the 300-plus-member body's important closed-door meeting in Beijing, known as the Fourth Plenum:
"Session participants discussed the current situation and the tasks facing China. It was stressed that the country must remain firmly committed to achieving this year's economic and social development goals," explained Xinhua.
The newspaper also reported that the session urged the entire party, military, and Chinese citizens to "unite" "around the Party Central Committee with Xi at its core, work together to achieve socialist modernization, and continue advancing China's development and national rejuvenation through Chinese modernization."
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