Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, Jan. 26: China’s Ministry of National Defense on Saturday confirmed that General Zhang Youxia, Vice-Chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) and a member of the Politburo, and General Liu Zhenli, Chief of Staff of the CMC Joint Staff Department, are under investigation for “serious violations of Party discipline and the law.”
Zhang is one of the most powerful figures in China’s armed forces, effectively second only to President Xi Jinping within the CMC. He was long regarded as Xi’s closest military ally, and his removal marks one of the most consequential shake-ups in the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in decades. Liu Zhenli, meanwhile, oversees the PLA’s joint operations command and plays a central role in military planning and readiness.
The investigations come amid a prolonged anti-corruption and loyalty campaign within the PLA that has intensified since Xi came to power in 2012. Official figures indicate that more than 20,000 senior officers and defense officials have been purged during this period, highlighting the scale of the internal crackdown.
Xi’s military purge has steadily dismantled entrenched power networks within the armed forces, consolidating authority at the very top. Critics argue that the campaign has handed Xi near-total control over the PLA, shrinking the once-powerful CMC to its smallest size in decades and leaving it dominated by Xi and a single disciplinary watchdog. Analysts suggest the drive reflects Xi’s deep concern over disloyalty within the ranks, including fears, however remote, of internal resistance or a coup.
The latest probes follow a string of dramatic purges in recent years. In 2023, China abruptly removed much of the leadership of the PLA Rocket Force, the unit responsible for nuclear and missile operations, citing corruption and discipline violations. The sweeping action sent shockwaves through the military establishment and raised questions about the integrity of command in one of China’s most sensitive strategic forces.
In 2024, former defense ministers Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu were formally expelled from the Communist Party and accused of corruption, marking the unprecedented downfall of two consecutive defense chiefs.
The purge continued into 2025, when reports emerged that Admiral Dong Jun, China’s sitting defense minister, was placed under investigation, further reinforcing perceptions of instability at the highest levels of military leadership.
The growing turbulence within the PLA has drawn close attention from regional actors, particularly Taiwan. Taiwanese defense officials have described the leadership changes as “abnormal,” while emphasizing that the island will not lower its guard. Military analysts argue that the ongoing purge could delay any potential attempt by Beijing to seize Taiwan by force, as internal distrust and leadership disruptions complicate operational planning and command cohesion.
