BEIJING – China’s military is grappling wiht a widening inquiry into alleged corruption and discipline violations, with the country’s top general, Zhang Youxia, now under scrutiny, the Defense Ministry announced Saturday.
Sweeping Purge Raises Questions About Loyalty and Reform
The investigations into high-ranking officials signal a continued effort by President Xi Jinping to consolidate power and root out perceived disloyalty within the People’s Liberation Army.
- Zhang Youxia, 75, is the most senior military figure to be investigated in recent months.
- Liu Zhenli, chief of staff of the Joint Staff Department, is also under investigation.
- The probes are part of a broader anti-corruption campaign that has targeted over 200,000 officials since 2012.
- Analysts suggest the purges aim to ensure loyalty to Xi Jinping, who also chairs the Central Military Commission.
The investigation into Zhang Youxia, a vice chairman of the powerful Central Military Commission, marks the latest advancement in a sustained crackdown on corruption within the Chinese military. This comes as China continues to modernize its armed forces and assert its influence on the global stage. The timing of these investigations is particularly noteworthy, given the evolving geopolitical landscape.
Another member of the commission, Liu Zhenli, has also been placed under investigation by China’s ruling Communist Party, according to a statement from the Defense ministry. liu holds the position of chief of staff of the commission’s Joint Staff Department. The Central Military Commission serves as the highest military body in China.
The Defense ministry’s statement offered no specifics regarding the alleged violations of discipline and law. However, the investigations are widely seen as part of a broader effort by Chinese leader Xi Jinping to strengthen the military’s loyalty and combat corruption. Since assuming power in 2012, Xi’s anti-corruption drive has reportedly resulted in the punishment of more than 200,000 officials.
What is the scope of Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign? Since 2012, the campaign has reportedly led to the punishment of over 200,000 officials across various levels of government and the military.
Zhang Youxia joined the people’s Liberation Army in 1968 and has risen through the ranks to become a general in its ground forces. His position as vice chairman places him among the most influential figures in the Chinese military hierarchy.
This isn’t the first high-profile removal within the commission recently. Last October, the Communist Party expelled He Weidong, another vice chair, and replaced him with Zhang Shengmin. Furthermore, in 2024, the party expelled two former defense ministers due to corruption allegations.
The developments within the Chinese military are occurring against a backdrop of increasing strategic competition with the United States. Just Friday, the Trump management released a new National Defense Strategy that acknowledged China as a meaningful military power. the strategy emphasized the need to deter China from dominating the U.S.and its allies.
“This does not require regime change or some other existential struggle,” the strategy stated. “Rather, a decent peace, on terms favorable to Americans but that China can also accept and live under, is possible.”
