New Delhi: China’s ongoing anti-corruption drive has escalated into its most dramatic military purge in decades, targeting top generals including Central Military Commission (CMC) Vice Chairman Zhang Youxia and Joint Staff Department Chief Liu Zhenli.
The investigations, announced by China’s Ministry of National Defense on January 24, cite “serious violations of discipline and law,” fueling speculation about internal power struggles under President Xi Jinping and potential delays in Beijing’s military ambitions toward Taiwan.
Zhang, a longtime Xi ally and “second-generation red” with extensive field experience, has been absent from public view since January 1, raising alarms. As CMC vice chairman, he oversaw PLA operations and was seen as a key figure in potential Taiwan contingencies.
Liu, another high-ranking officer, adds to a list of at least 13 generals purged since late 2025, part of a broader campaign that has ensnared over 200,000 officials since Xi’s 2012 ascent.
According to the Ministry of National Defense statement, the investigations were decided “following a review,” with Zhang and Liu accused of actions that “seriously trampled on and undermined” the Chairman Responsibility System—referring to Xi’s supreme authority over the military.
The statement further charged that the generals had “gravely fostered political and corruption problems that weakened the Party’s absolute leadership over the military” and “caused immense harm” to combat readiness. No specific details on the allegations were provided in the announcement, consistent with standard protocol for such probes.
A subsequent editorial in the Liberation Army Daily, the PLA’s official mouthpiece, reinforced this framing, describing the probe as a “major achievement” in the Party’s anti-corruption efforts.
It stated that Zhang and Liu had “seriously betrayed the trust and expectations” of the Communist Party and the CMC, while “fostering political and corruption problems that undermined the party’s absolute leadership over the military and threatened the party’s ruling foundation.”
The piece emphasized that the actions strengthen the Party’s control and ensure loyalty, portraying the purge as essential for maintaining ideological purity and operational integrity.
The developments build on prior expulsions, including former CMC Vice Chairman He Weidong in October 2025 for corruption. Seven uniformed CMC members appointed in 2022, five have now been purged or sidelined, concentrating power further under Xi ahead of key milestones like the 2027 PLA centenary.
Taiwanese officials have responded with heightened vigilance. Defense Minister Wellington Koo stated: “We will continue to closely monitor abnormal changes among the top levels of China’s party, government, and military leadership. We won’t let the downfall of any one person make us lower our guard or slacken the level of war preparedness we should maintain.”
This comes amid recent PLA drills simulating a Taiwan blockade from December 29-30, which Taipei described as provocative.
The purges highlight Xi’s prioritization of political loyalty over immediate combat readiness, with neighbors like Taiwan maintaining alert status amid ongoing PLA drills.
As the investigations proceed—likely leading to expulsion from the Party and prosecution—the opaque nature of Chinese elite politics continues to fuel global concern over stability in a nuclear-armed superpower.
