Hello, audience! Welcome to watch “A Hundred Years of Truth”.
On February 6, 2026, during a routine military performance in Beijing, an unusual signal was revealed – the only military leader standing next to Xi Jinping was Zhang Shengmin.
The original seven members of the 20th Central Military Commission, including Li Shangfu, Miao Hua, He Weidong, Zhang Youxia, and Liu Zhenli, were successively cleared out, leaving only Xi Jinping and Zhang Shengmin in the current Military Commission.
Why are those closest to the core of power disappearing one after another? Will Zhang Shengmin be the next military leader to vanish?
Many commentators believe that after Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli were taken down by Xi Jinping in early 2026, Zhang Shengmin, although now the only Vice Chairman of the Military Commission under Xi Jinping’s command, is treading on thin ice and might fall into a trap at any time.
So, what dangers does Zhang Shengmin actually face? Let’s take a closer look today.
After the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in the autumn of 2022, the internal power struggle within the military leadership under Xi Jinping began to intensify.
Xi Jinping first initiated investigations starting from the missile force’s major case, which led to the downfall of Central Military Commission member and Minister of National Defense, Li Shangfu. As the investigations continued, not only Li Shangfu but also his subordinates in the equipment development department of the Military Commission, as well as a group of senior generals and colonels associated with him, were successively arrested.
Who was Li Shangfu affiliated with? Specifically, he was connected to Zhang Youxia.
When Zhang Youxia served as the Minister of the Military Commission’s Equipment Development Department, Li Shangfu was his deputy. After Zhang Youxia was promoted to the Political Bureau member of the CPC Central Committee and the Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission at the 19th National Congress, Li Shangfu succeeded him as the Minister of the Military Commission’s Equipment Development Department. Similarly, after Zhang Youxia retained his positions in the 20th National Congress as a member of the Political Bureau and Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, Li Shangfu was promoted to a member of the Central Military Commission, State Councilor, and Minister of National Defense.
Therefore, the investigation of Li Shangfu and his subordinates was aimed at weakening Zhang Youxia’s military influence and directing the spearhead towards him.
Who was in charge of this purge? It was Xi Jinping, He Weidong, and Miao Hua.
Xi is the Chairman of the Central Military Commission and the overall leader; He Weidong is responsible for discipline and supervision as the Vice Chairman of the Military Commission, while Miao Hua is a key figure in the “Xi Family Army” with more seniority and a broader network than He Weidong. Since 2017, Miao Hua has led the political work of the military, becoming an important figure in Xi Jinping’s personnel appointments within the military, aiding in the formation of the “Xi Family Army.”
Xi Jinping’s elevation of Zhang Youxia did feel somewhat pressured. There are at least three reasons behind this.
Firstly, both men are from Shaanxi and have had a relationship for decades, which holds significant weight in the upper circles of the CCP. Secondly, at critical junctures, Zhang Youxia has supported Xi Jinping, providing tangible support. Lastly, the approval of some party elders towards Zhang Youxia cannot be ignored, thus adding a practical consideration for Xi in his personnel decisions.
However, within the unwritten rules of the CCP political arena, Xi finds it challenging to place full trust in Zhang Youxia. Zhang Youxia did not rise to power through Xi’s so-called “core forces” nor through flattery, instead, he built his career from the grassroots level to become a senior military commander with combat experience and military talent.
As for Xi Jinping, without a military background, combat experience, significant political achievements before taking office, and bearing heavy suspicions, it becomes difficult for him to trust Zhang Youxia entirely. Although Xi retained the 72-year-old Zhang Youxia as a Political Bureau member and Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission at the 20th Congress, he still harbors deep suspicions and fears Zhang might overshadow him.
Following the 20th Congress, He Weidong and Miao Hua actively promoted a massive purge within the military under Xi’s orders, aiming to bring down Zhang Youxia. Eventually, He Weidong assumed the position of First Vice Chairman of the Military Commission, with Miao Hua as the Second Vice Chairman, forming a new structure where Xi Jinping, He Weidong, and Miao Hua lead the entire military.
Who was the puppet master behind the investigation and arrest of figures like Li Shangfu? It was none other than our central character today – the Secretary of the Military Discipline Commission, Zhang Shengmin.
According to internal sources obtained by Epoch Times, during the 2024 Third Plenum of the 20th Central Committee of the CCP in July, there was a sudden turn when Xi Jinping fell seriously ill and was hospitalized. This unexpected event became a crucial turning point for the large-scale purge within the military.
Seizing this opportunity, Zhang Youxia, with the support of some veterans, the “second-generation reds,” and military leaders dissatisfied with Xi Jinping’s policies, initiated a counterattack and launched the second round of military purges after the 20th Congress, targeting Xi’s military loyalists.
The first heavyweight figure to fall was Miao Hua, known as Xi’s “second military confidant,” followed by He Weidong, referred to as Xi’s “first military confidant,” among others.
After the downfall of He and Miao, a group of senior generals associated with them were also taken down, including prominent figures like the Deputy Director of the Political Work Department of the Military Commission, He Hongjun, the Deputy Director of the Joint Operations Command Center of the Military Commission, Wang Xiubin, the Commander of the Eastern Theater Command, Lin Xiangyang, the Army Political Commissar, Qin Shutong, the Navy Political Commissar, Yuan Huazhi, the Commander of the Rocket Force, Wang Houbin, and the Commander of the Armed Police Force, Wang Chunning.
These generals were instrumental in establishing Xi Jinping’s “Xi Family Army” within the military. So, who was the mastermind behind orchestrating the dismissal of Xi’s loyalists and the “Xi Family Army”? It was, once again, our main character – Zhang Shengmin, the Secretary of the Military Discipline Commission.
The question arises, will Zhang Shengmin reap rewards for helping Zhang Youxia take down so many of Xi Jinping’s key figures?
In fact, as early as when Zhang Shengmin assisted in investigating Li Shangfu and others under Xi’s orders, reports suggest that Xi had already tasked individuals with conducting covert investigations on Zhang Youxia – and Zhang Shengmin.
On January 26, 2026, Drew Thompson, Assistant Secretary of Defense for East Asia (Drew Thompson), disclosed in a post that Xi Jinping had been quietly investigating Zhang Youxia and Zhang Shengmin for some time. This information was revealed to him by Minnie Chan, a journalist from the South China Morning Post.
The post wrote, “In October 2023, South China Morning Post journalist Minnie Chan disappeared during the Xiangshan Forum in Beijing. At the time, she was investigating rumors about Zhang Youxia and Zhang Shengmin being under investigation.”
After Minnie Chan’s disappearance, nearly all the messages she had sent to Drew Thompson were deleted, with only one remaining. The surviving message stated: In September 2023, Drew Thompson asked, “Do you think Zhang Youxia and Zhang Shengmin are in trouble and being investigated?” Minnie Chan replied, “Yes.”
This indicates that as early as 2023, the target was already on Zhang Shengmin as part of the CCP’s military crackdown.
As a subordinate to both Xi Jinping and Zhang Youxia, Zhang Shengmin finds himself in a difficult position – torn between the two superiors. Walking a tightrope between the conflicting interests of Xi and Zhang is undoubtedly challenging for him.
Initially aiding Xi Jinping in dismantling Zhang Youxia’s military influence and subsequently assisting Zhang Youxia in purging Xi Jinping’s loyalists, by early 2026, Xi mounted a counteroffensive to remove Zhang Youxia. So, can Zhang Shengmin’s future still be bright?
Another reason for Zhang Shengmin’s precarious situation is that he has made enemies within the military. Serving as the Secretary of the Military Discipline Commission since January 2017, Zhang Shengmin, up until early 2026, has held onto this role for nine years, the longest tenure of any Secretary of the Military Discipline Commission since the 18th National Congress of the CCP.
The most critical responsibility of the Secretary of the Military Discipline Commission is investigating major cases within the military. The longer one holds this position, the more significant cases are investigated, ultimately leading to accumulating a vast number of grievances.
According to reports from the CCDI and the official website of the CCDI, a preliminary estimate suggests that Zhang Shengmin may have investigated up to 260 senior generals, colonels, and brigadier generals during his tenure.
Among these cases, there were eight particularly crucial investigations, including leading figures such as Zhang Youxia, He Weidong, Zhang Yang, Miao Hua, Fang Fenghui, Liu Zhenli, Wei Fenghe, and Li Shangfu.
With the extensive investigations conducted by Zhang Shengmin, it is inevitable that he has made enemies – and those seeking to bring him down are likely not few in number.
With that in mind, viewers may wonder, “Given that Zhang Shengmin has made so many enemies, he must have influential backers behind him to protect him, right?” Surprisingly, he does not have any significant backers – leaving him in a precarious position.
Hailing from the Lanzhou Military Region, Zhang Shengmin previously served as the Deputy Director of the Political Research Office of the Lanzhou Military Region, under the command of General Guo Boxiong. He later became the Director of the General Political Department’s political research office, working under General Xu Caihou.
After the military reforms under Xi Jinping in 2015, Zhang Shengmin successively held positions as the Political Commissar of the newly established Training Management Department of the Military Commission, the Logistics Support Department of the Military Commission, and the Secretary of the Military Discipline Commission.
At the 19th Congress of the CCP, Zhang Shengmin was appointed as a Central Committee member, a member of the Central Military Commission, and Secretary of the Military Discipline Commission. He retained these positions at the 20th Congress as well.
Zhang Shengmin was promoted to Major General in July 2016 and then to Lieutenant General in February 2018.
Looking at Zhang Shengmin’s career progression, it is evident that he was primarily promoted during Xi Jinping’s tenure. However, compared to senior generals like He Weidong and Miao Hua from the 31st Group Army, Xi’s “core forces,” Zhang Shengmin’s relationship with Xi Jinping remains one step removed. Additionally, having been a subordinate of Guo Boxiong and Xu Caihou, who were subsequently brought down by Xi, Zhang Shengmin’s connection with Xi is also indirect. Therefore, Xi Jinping cannot be considered a genuine backer for him.
Since the 18th Congress of the CCP, the only retired former member of the Political Bureau of the CCP Central Committee and Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission still remaining is Fan Changlong. Nevertheless, Fan Changlong is not Zhang Shengmin’s backstage boss, and reports have often surfaced about Fan being under investigation himself, leaving Zhang Shengmin without a protector in him.
Looking at the bigger picture, Zhang Shengmin’s fate seems to be hanging by a thread.
To compare Zhang Shengmin’s future with that of Zhang Youxia, both red army descendants, with Xi Jinping’s father and Zhang Youxia’s father comrades, who stood by each other during challenging times. Zhang Youxia fought in two battles during the Sino-Vietnamese War and is known for his combat experience as one of the few senior military leaders. Zhang Youxia ascended the ranks based on merit rather than his ties with Xi, establishing significant influence within the military and gaining international recognition. Zhang Youxia played a vital role in helping Xi Jinping achieve his “Three Continuations” at the 20th Congress.
However, even Zhang Youxia, known to be close to Xi Jinping, did not escape Xi’s crackdown on his closest allies. Hence, it’s difficult for someone like Zhang Shengmin, without a distinguished background, to expect any mercy from Xi Jinping – if push comes to shove, Xi will not hesitate to make a hostile move.
Moreover, Zhang Shengmin finds himself in a predicament, as an ancient prophecy has singled him out as a severe concern for Xi Jinping.
Reportedly, Xi Jinping has a fascination with prophecies, particularly fixated on a prophecy from the Tang Dynasty book “The Book of Revealations,” with one specific prediction bothering him.
The prediction from the forty-sixth hexagram of “The Book of Revealations” reads:
“A military man bearing a bow, claims to be the white-haired old man. Inside the eastern gate lies a hidden golden sword, the valiant warrior enters the emperor’s palace from the rear door.”
Interpretations suggest that this prophecy indicates a military man surnamed Zhang will launch a coup against Xi, overthrowing him.
The term “white-haired old man” can be deciphered in traditional Chinese analysis as the character for “Xi.”
It is said that Xi Jinping is quite sensitive to this prophecy. With both Zhang Youxia and Zhang Shengmin sharing the surname “Zhang,” and both their names containing the character for “bow,” Xi has already taken down Zhang Youxia. In this context, can Zhang Shengmin escape Xi’s wrath?
In the power-centric structure of the CCP, everyone desires advancement. However, reaching a position closest to the Chairman of the Central Military Commission poses significant risks.
Throughout history since the establishment of the People’s Republic of China, eight Vice Chairmen of the Central Military Commission have fallen in power struggles, including Peng Dehuai, He Long, Lin Biao, Zhao Ziyang, Xu Caihou, Guo Boxiong, He Weidong, and Zhang Youxia.
As of early 2026, the only remaining Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, Zhang Shengmin, appears to be in precarious circumstances. Can he still sleep soundly at night?
Well, that concludes our program for today. Thank you for watching. If you enjoyed our segment, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share. Until next time.