What is China’s Central Military Commission and how does it function?

The Central Military Commission, the top decision-making body overseeing the People’s Liberation Army, is set for a leadership reshuffle after the downfall of most of its members.

President Xi Jinping is now in his third term as chairman of the commission. But now five of the other six members of the commission – who were all originally slated to serve a five-year term, ending in 2027 – are no longer active.

China’s top military decision-making and command body performs many of the functions a ministry of defence carries out in other countries. Its mandate includes decisions on strategy, development, equipment, personnel and funding.

In China, the Ministry of National Defence is mainly used for diplomatic and public relations purposes and the defence minister is usually – though not always – a member of the commission.

The CMC consists of 15 departments, such as the Joint Staff Department and the Logistical Support Department. It also oversees the headquarters of the PLA’s five theatre commands, its different service branches and several affiliated research institutions and academies.

Above them all sits a seven-member committee, which is elected every five years by the party’s national congress.