Beijing – China’s military leadership has entered one of its most sensitive periods in decades after authorities confirmed an investigation into Zhang Youxia, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) and the most senior active general in the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
The move marks the highest escalation yet in a sweeping purge of China’s military elite—one that has now reached the very core of President Xi Jinping’s power structure.
According to The Guardian on Monday (January 26, 2026), China’s Ministry of National Defense confirmed that Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli, Chief of the Joint Staff Department of the CMC, are under investigation for alleged “serious violations of discipline and law.” The announcement represents the most significant official confirmation in an increasingly aggressive anti-corruption campaign within the armed forces.
Zhang’s position makes the case politically explosive. He is not only the second-highest-ranking officer in China’s military command hierarchy but also a member of the Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party, long regarded as Xi Jinping’s most trusted ally within the PLA.
A report by The Wall Street Journal alleged that Zhang was suspected of leaking information related to China’s nuclear weapons program to the United States and accepting bribes linked to strategic decisions, including promotions to senior defense posts. However, The Guardian emphasized that these allegations have not been independently verified and have not been publicly detailed by Beijing.
Since Xi launched his anti-corruption campaign in 2012, the military has been one of its primary targets. The crackdown reached a critical point in 2023, when the PLA Rocket Force—the unit responsible for China’s nuclear deterrent and ballistic missile arsenal—became the focus of a major investigation. Since then, the purge has expanded to levels once considered untouchable, including the top ranks of the CMC itself.
Zhang has not appeared in public since November 20, when he last met Russia’s defense minister in Moscow. His prolonged absence is widely interpreted by analysts as a strong political signal.
The developments have drawn close attention from foreign diplomats and global security analysts, particularly amid rising tensions in the South China Sea, East China Sea, and around Taiwan. Nevertheless, experts note that the purge is unlikely to immediately paralyze PLA operations.
Singapore-based security scholar James Char said the PLA’s operational structure continues to function through second-tier commanders appointed on an interim basis.
“Xi’s strategic objectives remain unchanged—completing military modernization by 2035 and transforming the PLA into a world-class fighting force by 2049,” Char said.
The investigation into Zhang adds to a growing list of fallen military elites. In recent months, former CMC Vice Chairman He Weidong was dismissed, eight senior generals were expelled from the Communist Party, and two former defense ministers had already been removed. The fallout has extended into China’s defense industry, slowing weapons procurement and weighing on the performance of several strategic firms.
Once celebrated as a battle-hardened commander, Zhang Youxia’s reputation now stands under the shadow of what is widely seen as the largest political purge in the modern history of China’s military.
Author: Faisal / FKY
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