The Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China, Zhang Youxia, and Chief of the General Staff of the Joint Staff Department, Liu Zhenli, have been announced to be under investigation. Following this announcement, the “People’s Liberation Army Daily” has published a series of opinion articles for three consecutive days, repeatedly calling for “the entire army to firmly support the decision of the central leadership.” Analysts point out that the rare continuous political mobilization itself may reflect that a widespread consensus within the military on how to handle the situation has not been reached yet. Against the backdrop of high centralized power, the military system is facing challenges in terms of trust and stability.
On January 24, the Chinese Ministry of National Defense reported that Zhang Youxia, a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee and Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, along with Liu Zhenli, a member of the Central Military Commission and Chief of the General Staff of the Joint Staff Department, are under investigation for alleged serious violations of discipline and law.
On the same day, the “People’s Liberation Army Daily” published an editorial, providing a high degree of characterization of the case, using expressions like “seriously betraying the original mission,” “seriously violating political discipline and rules,” “seriously undermining the responsibility system of the military commission chairman,” “seriously violating integrity discipline,” and “seriously disrupting the political ecology of our army.”
On January 31, the front page of the military newspaper carried an article titled “The Firm Belief and Confidence in Winning the Anti-Corruption Campaign and Building a Strong Army,” emphasizing the significance of handling the cases of Zhang and Liu in “eradicating the root of the poison” and stressing that the “officers and soldiers of the entire army must firmly support the decision of the central leadership” to maintain a “high degree of consistency” in ideology, politics, and action with Xi Jinping.
On February 1, the CCP military newspaper published another commentary article titled “Continuously Deepen Political Rectification, Advance Anti-Corruption Efforts,” further strengthening the narrative on political rectification and anti-corruption policies at a macro level.
Observers noted that the subsequent two articles significantly reduced the repetition of specific accusations compared to the first editorial, focusing more on political statements at a macro level. The articles repeatedly use mobilizing language such as “firmly support,” “high degree of consistency,” and “must always bear in mind,” and mention the need to “face some short-term difficulties and pains.”
Political commentator Li Linyi pointed out in an interview with Da Ji Yuan that the main emphasis of the continuous voice of the CCP military newspaper is not to further elaborate on the details of the personal issues of Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli but to repeatedly request the military to express support for the central decisions.
He stated that if a broad consensus within the military on how to handle the situation had been reached, the more common practice in official discourse would be to report on various military regions, branches, and units actively “expressing their stance” or “engaging in in-depth learning and discussion” rather than repeatedly emphasizing positions through abstract political calls.
“This emphasis on taking a stance and expressing support may itself reflect a sense of wait-and-see or reservation among the military,” Li Linyi said.
The CCP military newspaper attributed the main cause of the cases to corruption problems, qualifying them as an important outcome of the fight against corruption. However, some analysts have raised doubts about this narrative.
Li Linyi pointed out that the longstanding corruption issues within the CCP military have systemic features, involving multiple levels and departments. In this context, only highlighting the high-profile handling of individual senior officers without broader, systematic cleansing actions may lead to different interpretations of the anti-corruption motives from external observers.
He believed that if anti-corruption is the core goal, it should typically present a continuous and comprehensive governance path rather than focusing on specific individuals. “When behaviors under the same institutional environment are treated differently, outsiders naturally perceive it as part of political maneuvering rather than just a disciplinary issue.”
Commentator Lin Song analyzed from a power structure perspective that the case of Zhang Youxia is not an isolated incident but part of a continuous adjustment of senior military leadership in recent years. From the crackdown within the Rocket Force system, the downfall of two successive defense ministers, to multiple investigations of senior generals, it indicates a high level of vigilance at the top level towards the military system.
Lin Song told Da Ji Yuan, “This does not necessarily mean that there is a collective challenge within the military, but rather reflects a continuous vigilance against potential uncertainties in a highly centralized power situation.”
In a recent meeting of the CCP Central Political Bureau, the absence of military representatives sparked discussions among the public. Analysts pointed out that from an institutional perspective, this is related to the current personnel structure of the military commission. The current Vice Chairman of the Military Commission, Zhang Shengmin, is not a member of the Political Bureau, and previous Vice Chairmen with relevant qualifications have been investigated.
However, commentators believe that such “absences” are still rare symbolically, reflecting the cautious attitude of the military in the current political environment.
Lin Song pointed out that the more common response within the military at present is to “quietly carry out duties and avoid taking a stance.” This means not openly opposing but also not actively showing loyalty, only maintaining the minimum level of institutional compliance.
He revealed that some officers are hesitant to take on higher positions, with some applying for early retirement or citing health reasons to withdraw, viewed as self-protective actions in an uncertain environment. Meanwhile, after the cases were made public, there has not been a large-scale, named public endorsement from senior military figures.
Against this backdrop, the continued publication of opinion articles by the CCP military newspaper is seen by some observers as an “alternative expression mechanism,” attempting to address the opacity of real attitudes within the military through official discourse.
Regarding the judgment expressed in the military newspaper articles about facing “short-term difficulties and pains,” Li Linyi expressed reservations. He believed that the upheaval among senior ranks in the military could have a lasting impact on organizational trust and command structure, which may not be easily resolved in a short period.
Citing historical cases, he pointed out that in political events involving highly prestigious military figures, adjustments often have long-term, gradual characteristics rather than rapid conclusions.
At the same time, he noted that unlike in the past, the current top leader lacks a direct military background, which poses challenges in rebuilding trust within the military to a certain extent. Even with structural adjustments through personnel changes, the prestige and executive power of newly appointed leaders still need to be observed.
Lin Song concluded that the current situation is no longer just about handling individual cases but reflects long-term challenges faced in military governance under a highly personalized power structure.
“When anti-corruption becomes a highly flexible political tool and traditional collective decision-making mechanisms weaken, the military’s cautious or even passive reaction, coupled with high-level security concerns, may create a mutually reinforcing cycle,” he said.