Hong Kong, January 26 (ANI): Chairman Xi Jinping has sent shockwaves through China’s political and military establishment by arresting the country’s highest-ranking military leader, General Zhang Youxia, it was announced on January 24. At the same time, General Liu Zhenli, chief of staff of the Joint Staff Department, was also detained.
Speculation has swirled over the reasons behind Xi’s dramatic move, particularly as Zhang was once considered a loyal ally within the military. Both generals were notably absent from a January 20 study session for provincial- and ministerial-level leading cadres, indicating that they may have been detained before that date.
The arrests underscore how Xi’s campaign to purge the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and enforce absolute loyalty has reached a critical point. Zhang was the highest-ranking uniformed officer in the Central Military Commission (CMC), which is chaired by Xi, while Liu was also a member of the commission.
The CMC has now been reduced to just two members—Xi himself and General Zhang Shengmin, who was promoted to vice chairman last October and has spent much of his career as a political officer and discipline inspector—raising questions about the commission’s functionality.
In recent years, Xi has systematically removed the top leadership of the PLA. In 2022, the CMC had six members after Xi reshaped it to his specifications. Now, only one member remains under Xi, prompting questions over whether the body can still function or if it may be abolished altogether.
Before this latest crackdown, He Weidong, Li Shangfu, and Miao Hua had already been removed from the CMC. One commentator observed that “fear has replaced initiative inside the PLA, turning it into a hollow force that looks strong on parade but cannot fight a real war.”
An article in the PLA Daily attributed the purge to serious political and disciplinary violations. It stated that Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli had “seriously betrayed the trust and expectations of the party Central Committee and the CMC,” undermined the authority of the CMC chairman responsibility system, fostered political and corruption-related problems, and damaged the image and prestige of the commission.
The article added that their actions had caused “immense damage” to the military’s political structure, combat effectiveness, and overall cohesion, and vowed that both would be investigated and punished according to party discipline and the law.
Xi has repeatedly emphasized the severity of corruption. In a speech on January 12, he said the fight against corruption remained “severe and complex,” calling for an “unwavering high-pressure stance.” In 2025 alone, 983,000 people received disciplinary punishments, according to the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, including 115 senior officials at the provincial or ministerial level.
What stands out in this case is that two of the PLA’s most senior figures were removed simultaneously, raising concerns about morale and readiness, particularly as Xi considers potential military action against Taiwan.
Like Xi, Zhang is a “princeling,” descended from early Communist Party leadership. An investigative task force has reportedly been dispatched to Shenyang, where Zhang served as commander from 2007 to 2012, to examine possible past misconduct.
Joaquin Camarena, a former intelligence analyst in the US Marine Corps, said the investigation was likely driven by political and military considerations rather than corruption alone. He suggested corruption often serves as a convenient label, arguing that Zhang’s power base was viewed as an obstacle to Xi’s control over the PLA and its modernization.
Camarena added that Xi tolerated Zhang’s continued service beyond mandatory retirement age because of his experience, but ultimately removed him and Liu due to their failure to rapidly advance combat readiness and modernization efforts in line with Xi’s expectations.
The Wall Street Journal, citing sources in China, reported that Zhang was accused of accepting bribes for official acts, including the promotion of an officer to defense minister, referring to Li Shangfu, who was detained in 2023. The paper also claimed Zhang was under investigation for forming political cliques and allegedly leaking sensitive nuclear weapons data to the United States.
No further details have emerged regarding the alleged data leak. Similar claims surfaced in 2023, suggesting Chinese nuclear secrets had been passed to Western intelligence agencies, though these reports were never substantiated.
M. Taylor Fravel, director of the Security Studies Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said that while Zhang has been accused of leaking nuclear information, the more likely cause of his removal was defiance of Xi and undermining the CMC chairman responsibility system.
Neil Thomas of the Asia Society Policy Institute expressed skepticism over the nuclear leak allegations, questioning how such actions could occur given the level of surveillance surrounding senior PLA officials. He suggested the charges may have been exaggerated to justify an unprecedented purge.
Thomas concluded that Zhang was most likely caught up in corruption scandals linked to military procurement and failed to implement Xi’s vision for a cleaner, more capable fighting force.
More extreme rumors have also circulated, including claims by Canada-based democracy activist Sheng Xue that Zhang and Liu had planned to move against Xi, though such allegations remain unverified.
In the past two and a half years, Xi has removed more than 50 senior PLA and defense industry officials. State media has emphasized that “no place is out of bounds” in the military’s anti-corruption campaign, particularly as China enters the implementation phase of its 15th Five-Year Plan and approaches the PLA’s 2027 centenary goals.
Camarena warned that the removal of Zhang and Liu would have a profound impact on the PLA’s combat readiness and modernization, noting that the force now lacks senior leaders with real-world operational experience.
Dr. Brahma Chellaney, professor of strategic studies at the Centre for Policy Research in New Delhi, compared Xi’s actions to Stalin’s purges of the Red Army, warning that excessive insecurity at the top could lead to strategic miscalculations.
The repeated purging of senior leaders has also complicated efforts by Western militaries to build lasting relationships with their Chinese counterparts, as continuity in leadership has become increasingly rare.
Decker Eveleth, an associate research analyst at CNA Corporation, outlined three troubling possibilities: pervasive corruption within the PLA, doubts over loyalty to Xi, or an overly aggressive purge of leaders deemed ineffective.
While many uncertainties remain, the detention of Zhang and Liu highlights the depth of upheaval within China’s military and the far-reaching consequences of Xi’s consolidation of power. (ANI)
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