On January 24th, senior Chinese Communist Party (CCP) military officials Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli were suddenly announced to have been removed from their positions. On the same day, the CCP Military News Agency issued a scathing editorial condemning Zhang and Liu for “seriously trampling and undermining the chairman’s responsibility system of the Military Commission.” Due to the unclear nature of the events, when foreign media gathered at yesterday’s (29th) routine press conference of the CCP’s Ministry of National Defense, a high concentration of questions were raised regarding the Zhang Youxia incident. However, most of the content of the Q&A session has been blocked within China. Experts point out that this highlights the contradictions in CCP rule, while the spokesperson’s responses reflect the tense atmosphere within the CCP.
According to reports from foreign media on January 29th, during the first routine press conference held by the CCP’s Ministry of National Defense after Zhang Youxia’s dismissal was announced, out of over 30 questions, nearly 10 were related to the Zhang Youxia incident.
With the investigation of Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli, the leadership of the current CCP Central Military Commission has decreased from seven members since the 2022 session to now only Chairman Xi Jinping and Vice Chairman Zhang Shengmin remaining. When asked about the timing and attendees of the next Central Military Commission meeting, the spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense responded that it involved military secrets, stating that “I have no information to disclose.”
Since the second half of 2023, a large number of senior military officials have been removed from office or “disappeared.” During the promotion ceremony of December last year, apart from two new generals, only four generals attended the ceremony, with Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli among them now being dismissed. When asked about the number of current active generals working normally by the media, the spokesperson simply responded with “I have no information to disclose.”
In response to whether the anti-corruption campaign might affect the CCP’s strategic layout, the spokesperson claimed that more anti-corruption measures lead to “increased combat effectiveness,” among other statements.
Regarding the military news agency’s editorial criticizing Zhang and Liu, the spokesperson mentioned that the investigation of Zhang and Liu is “of great significance for winning the fight against corruption within the military.”
Furthermore, in response to a previous report by The Wall Street Journal alleging that Zhang Youxia had leaked Chinese nuclear information to the United States, the spokesperson cautioned against making baseless speculations. Concerning the view of some American scholars and former officials that Zhang Youxia’s investigation could lead to a breakdown in communication channels between the Chinese and American militaries, the spokesperson firmly opposed any slandering of China regarding its anti-corruption actions and related matters.
Taiwan think tank consultant Wu Sezhi told Epoch Times that international media’s continuous inquiries into the Zhang Youxia incident expose a contradiction in the CCP’s rule. While there is a need for control of public opinion—suppressing any discourse or speculations detrimental to regime stability—the lack of credibility in official information, combined with restricted access, fuels external curiosity and speculation. This contradiction inevitably makes the CCP more embarrassed.
Wu Sezhi stated that the responses made by the spokesperson, Jiang Bin, appear conservative on the surface, but they reflect the current tense atmosphere within the CCP.
Feng Chongyi, Associate Professor at the University of Technology Sydney, told Epoch Times that the sudden and significant nature of Zhang and Liu’s removal has piqued media interest. However, the CCP spokesperson has no room to maneuver. If the questions cross certain boundaries, he can only dodge and obscure the responses.
Feng Chongyi said, “Such incidents are surely embarrassing for the CCP because they caught Zhang Youxia by employing gang-style tactics, leading to internal turmoil. They are currently unable to provide a reasonable explanation to the world. So when faced with questions from the international media, they try to evade as much as possible.”
Numerous English-language media outlets, including Agence France-Presse, reported on the Q&A session at the Ministry of National Defense regarding the Zhang Youxia issue, with varying degrees of coverage. However, as of now, the Ministry of National Defense’s English website has not published the transcript of the press conference that took place on the 29th, while the Chinese website omitted the Q&A content related to Zhang Youxia, Liu Zhenli, and anti-corruption.
A similar situation occurred during the previous day’s press conference of the CCP’s Taiwan Affairs Office.
When asked about whether the Zhang Youxia incident would impact cross-strait relations, CCP Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson Zhang Han flipped through his notes for about 10 seconds before asserting that “punishing corruption knows no boundaries,” among other remarks. However, the official transcript on the Taiwan Affairs Office’s website did not mention the names of Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli, using the term “personnel changes at a senior level in the mainland military” instead.
Feng Chongyi stated that currently, the dust has not completely settled on the Zhang Youxia case, and the authorities are trying to keep a low profile, likely on orders from Xi Jinping, as a way of trying to control the situation.
Since the CCP Ministry of National Defense announced the dismissal of Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli on January 24th and the CCP Military News issued the official statement on the case in the evening, the CCP’s media outlets collectively remained silent on the matter.
There has been no collective response from the various departments of the CCP’s Military Commission, various military regions, and different branches since the removal of former Military Commission Vice Chairmen Xu Caihou and Guo Boxiong. On the 30th, the military news article emphasized anti-corruption issues without mentioning Zhang and Liu.
Former Chinese entrepreneur Hu Liren, currently residing in the United States, told Epoch Times that Zhang Youxia’s sudden arrest has caused a significant shock within the CCP, presenting challenges for the authorities in explaining Zhang’s situation both internally and externally.
“Since Xi Jinping came to power, he has purged many military generals. His claims of fighting corruption within the military are, in reality, part of factional struggles. The actions of the Communist Party are difficult to justify. It is an abnormal country,” he said.
Zhang Youxia has long been considered a staunch ally of Xi Jinping. His sudden fall from grace has resulted in various speculations about the inner workings of the CCP.
Hu Liren believes that Xi Jinping had to take down Zhang Youxia because of his high standing within the military and his extensive knowledge about Xi Jinping. This posed a significant threat to Xi Jinping’s efforts to establish his dynasty.
Wu Sezhi also believes that the capture of Zhang Youxia is related to Xi Jinping’s consolidation of power, including the overall power distribution of the 21st National Congress of the CCP in 2027.
Previously, the CCP Military News editorial criticized Zhang Youxia for “seriously contributing to issues of political corruption that harm the party’s absolute leadership over the military and endanger the CCP’s governance foundation.” While many believe this corroborates Zhang Youxia’s involvement in activities against Xi, analysts argue that Xi’s purge actions themselves have shaken the foundation of CCP rule.
Feng Chongyi believes that trust within the Xi Jinping-led military has been completely shattered due to infighting. With individuals like He Weidong from the Fujian clique not receiving protection from Xi and getting purged, Zhang Youxia, who was Xi’s staunch ally, has also been removed. Xi has essentially become isolated.
Feng Chongyi said, “This is a very real crisis. With so many generals being removed, there is no one left to rely on. Many are reluctant to advance because promotion seems to lead to further dismissal, seen as a path to fear. So his (Xi’s) rule is shaking, there is no doubt about it.”
Wu Sezhi stated that after the significant personnel changes in the CCP military, the vacant positions have not been adequately filled, leading to instability in the entire command system. Xi Jinping himself is in a state of extreme insecurity. With internal factions within the military expressing anger over Zhang Youxia’s capture, anti-Xi forces could strike at any moment, complicating and intensifying Xi’s predicament.