BEIJING — China’s Defense Ministry said Saturday the ruling Communist Party has opened investigations into People’s Liberation Army Gen. Zhang Youxia and People’s Liberation Army Gen. Liu Zhenli for suspected “serious violations of discipline and law.” The move deepens President Xi Jinping’s sweeping military purge and forces fresh changes atop the Central Military Commission (CMC), the party body that directs the armed forces, Jan. 24, 2026.
The ministry’s statement did not describe the allegations or say whether Zhang Youxia and Liu have been detained, suspended or replaced. Reuters reported that Zhang, 75, is a vice chairman of the CMC and a member of the Communist Party’s Politburo, while Liu, 61, is chief of staff of the CMC’s Joint Staff Department.
Such announcements in China typically provide little evidence or a timetable, while the “discipline and law” wording is widely used for cases handled by party investigators. The Associated Press reported that the step comes after a series of removals and investigations that have swept up senior officers and defense-industry executives since 2023.
Why the Zhang Youxia probe matters
Zhang Youxia has been viewed as one of Xi’s most important military allies and one of the few top PLA leaders with combat experience. His vice chairmanship places him at the center of senior promotions and key procurement decisions — areas that have repeatedly been targeted as Xi argues corruption undermines combat readiness and party control.
Liu has kept a lower public profile, but his position makes him central to operational planning, training schedules and large-scale exercises. A prolonged vacancy in the Joint Staff Department would be closely watched by regional militaries because it sits at the hub of the PLA’s day-to-day coordination across services and theater commands.
In a separate analysis, the Financial Times said the probes further thin the CMC’s senior ranks, sharpening questions about how quickly Xi can rebuild the leadership bench after repeated purges.
A purge that has been widening since 2023
The investigation into Zhang Youxia and Liu follows earlier waves that reached into sensitive weapons and procurement programs. After a leadership reshuffle linked to the Rocket Force, China’s Defense Ministry vowed in August 2023 to crack down on corrupt officials, indicating the campaign was moving deeper into military contracting and oversight.
The purge then expanded into the political leadership of the defense establishment. In June 2024, the party expelled two former defense ministers, Li Shangfu and Wei Fenghe, for alleged bribery-related violations, according to Reuters.
By late 2025, the campaign had climbed further into the top command. In October 2025, authorities expelled senior generals He Weidong and Miao Hua from the Communist Party and the military in a high-profile move, Reuters reported at the time.
For now, officials have not said what specific allegations triggered the new investigations or when they will conclude. What follows — replacements, formal expulsions or a broadened probe into procurement networks — will help show whether the Zhang Youxia case is the peak of this wave or the start of a wider reshuffle at the top of China’s armed forces.
