Source: China
Military Online (中国军网), published on March 17, 2018.
Context & Evidence: On the morning of March 17, 2018, during the 5th Plenary Session of the 1st Session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Xi Jinping took the constitutional oath of office following his election as President of the PRC and Chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC). Official photographs released by state military media show active-duty delegates from the armed forces delegation, dressed in official military uniforms, seated directly on the Presidium rostrum in the background during the swearing-in ceremony.
Overlap Between the Presidium and the Military Delegation
A comparative analysis of the Presidium for the 1st Session of the 13th NPC and the formal roster of the military and armed police delegation reveals 12 individuals who simultaneously held positions on the Presidium and represented the armed forces:
| # | Name | Institutional Role (13th NPC Era) |
| 1 | Ma Weiming (马伟明) | Academician, Naval Engineering University |
| 2 | Xu Qiliang (许其亮) | Vice Chairman, Central Military Commission |
| 3 | Li Wei (李伟) | Political Commissar, Strategic Support Force |
| 4 | Li Zuocheng (李作成) | Chief of Staff, Joint Staff Department of the CMC |
| 5 | Li Hong (李鸿) | Senior Engineer, Air Force Operational Testing Unit |
| 6 | Zhang Youxia (张又侠) | Vice Chairman, Central Military Commission |
| 7 | Zhang Shengmin (张升民) | Secretary, Commission for Discipline Inspection of the CMC |
| 8 | Zhang Ping (张平) | Commander, Rear Logistics Base Unit |
| 9 | Miao Hua (苗华) | Director, Political Work Department of the CMC |
| 10 | Jiangba Kezhu (降巴克珠) | Tactical Instructor, Ground Forces Sub-unit |
| 11 | Zhao He (赵贺) | Field Commander, Armed Police Force |
| 12 | Wei Fenghe (魏凤和) | State Councilor & Minister of National Defense |
The Electoral Role of Military Deputies under the Chinese Communist Party Central Military Commission
A distinct structural feature of the state electoral mechanism is the separation between state constitutional institutions and Party military leadership structures. The Central Military Commission of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP CMC) commands and leads the armed forces. The institutional representation of the armed forces within state organ elections operates through legal channels defined by national and military electoral statutes of China.
The military deputies elected by the armed forces—which are under the leadership of the Central Military Commission of the Chinese Communist Party—participated in local regional elections as well as the national assembly. Specifically, in the election of deputies to the 13th NPC:
Regional Electoral Framework and Military Participation in Inner Mongolia: On January 20, 2018, the Standing Committee of the 12th Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region People's Congress published an official announcement confirming the credentials of 535 local deputies elected to the 13th Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region People's Congress. Pursuant to the Electoral Law of the National People's Congress and Local People's Congresses of the People's Republic of China, the Measures for the Election of Deputies to the National People's Congress and Local People's Congresses at and Above the County Level by the Chinese People's Liberation Army, and local legislative decisions, electoral units across the region included cities divided into districts, leagues, banners, counties, and the Inner Mongolia Military Region. The military electoral unit led by Central Military Commission of the Chinese Communist Party produced 14 deputies to the regional congress: Wang Xuewu, Tuan Liang (female, Mongol), Li Guoyou (Mongol), Li Peijun (female), He Botao, Leng Jiesong, Zhang Yingkui (Mongol), Chen Xiangjun, Bao Kui (Daur), Hu Xing, Yao Shuhu, Tu Tianrong (Ewenki), Cui Zhen, and Wei Yanfen (female), with corresponding Chinese names "王学武,团亮（女，蒙古族）,李国友（蒙古族）, 李佩军（女）,何波涛,冷杰松,张英奎（蒙古族）, 陈向军,宝魁（达斡尔族）,胡兴,姚书虎,涂天荣（鄂温克族）,崔震 魏彦芬（女）".
Statutory Election at the Regional Congress: On the afternoon of January 30, 2018, during the 4th Plenary Meeting of the 1st Session of the 13th Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region People's Congress, the assembly held an election to choose 58 deputies to represent the region at the 13th National People's Congress.
Voting on the Central Nomination: The 14 military regional deputies elected from the Inner Mongolia Military Region joined other regional representatives in this statutory voting session. During the meeting, the congress announced that Xi Jinping, a candidate nominated by the central authorities, was unanimously elected as a deputy to the 13th National People's Congress. The election results were subsequently submitted to the Credentials Committee of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress for confirmation.
Distinction Between State and Party Commissions: While the state Central Military Commission (State CMC) is an organ established under the PRC Constitution to direct state military forces, leadership over the armed forces is exercised by the Central Military Commission of the Chinese Communist Party. The military deputies elected by the armed forces led by the Chinese Communist Party Central Military Commission cast their statutory ballots to approve Xi Jinping as an NPC deputy representing Inner Mongolia before participating in the national plenary vote on March 17, 2018, that confirmed his appointment as Chairman of the State CMC and PRC President.
Structure of Armed Forces Representation in the NPC
The delegation representing the armed forces forms the largest cohesive voting bloc within the National People's Congress. Key dynamics governing this representation include:
Electoral Separation: Top civilian and party leadership, including the Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Chinese Communist Party, are registered through regional provincial assemblies rather than the armed forces delegation roster itself.
Composition: The delegation integrates high-ranking operational command leadership from the CMC's general departments, theater commands, and service branches alongside frontline tactical personnel, military researchers, and engineering specialists.
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