According to sources familiar with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) system, Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli are still being detained by the military. It was revealed that Zhang Youxia’s case is being overseen by the CCP’s Political Bureau Standing Committee and the level of investigation is no less than the cases of Zhou Yongkang and Bo Xilai in the past. The CCP has decided to transfer the alleged crimes of these two individuals to the military procuratorial organs. Following this decision, the “People’s Liberation Army Daily” subsequently issued a statement requesting all military personnel to support the disciplinary decisions. Military sources have indicated that some soldiers and officers are feeling low morale due to this development.
On September 21st, the CCP Politburo convened to review the investigation results and handling suggestions for Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli. Official reports stated that the two individuals were involved in collusion, utilizing their positions to help others advance and accepting large sums of money. They have been expelled from the Party and the military, their qualifications as delegates to the CCP’s 20th National Congress have been revoked, and their alleged criminal issues have been transferred to the military procuratorial organs for prosecution. The expulsion from the Party is still pending confirmation at the Central Committee.
According to Mr. Sun, a civilian official in the military, after the case was transferred, Zhang and Liu are still being detained by the military. It is rumored that they are being held in the vicinity of Beijing. This case involves high-level political maneuvering, thus the sensitivity is very high. The individuals are under military custody, and only the military disciplinary committee may know the exact location of their detention, with reports suggesting even most Political Bureau members are unaware.
Zhang Youxia was a key figure in the military leadership after the CCP’s 20th National Congress, and Liu Zhenli previously served as the Chief of Staff of the Joint Staff Department of the Central Military Commission. The simultaneous removal of both individuals has implications beyond just the careers of individual generals. The accusation of engaging in collusion by those who once held leadership and staff command authority in the military also puts scrutiny on the post-20th National Congress military personnel arrangements within the CCP.
An individual named Fan Yuan, who has connections with retired CCP generals, stated that recently, some retired generals have been comparing the cases of Zhang and Liu to those of Zhou Yongkang and Bo Xilai from the past.
Fan Yuan stated that to his knowledge, the case of Zhang Youxia is being overseen by the seven members of the CCP’s Political Bureau Standing Committee, and the case is strictly confidential. “The level of secrecy and handling compared to the cases of Zhou Yongkang and Bo Xilai is beyond measure. Recently, retired generals have been discussing that the attention given to this case is no less than that of the Zhou and Bo cases.”
Zhou Yongkang, a former member of the CCP’s Politburo Standing Committee, was sentenced to life imprisonment for bribery, abuse of power, and intentional disclosure of state secrets. Bo Xilai, a former member of the CCP’s Politburo, was sentenced to life in prison for bribery, corruption, and abuse of power.
Fan Yuan also revealed, “I have heard that before concluding the case, the handling personnel are not allowed to contact their families, and their phones are ‘unified custody’ to prevent the leakage of information. Currently, grassroots commanders are very dissatisfied and unwilling to openly support the central authorities.”
He believes that the tight control by authorities on the contact of the handling personnel with the outside world is to prevent the leak of information from within the military. The more tightly the case is sealed, the less details are known within the military.
The CCP’s military official media, “People’s Liberation Army Daily,” stated on September 23rd that the issues involving Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli have disrupted the political ecology and combat effectiveness of the military. It called for all military personnel to unify their thoughts and for senior officials to use those being investigated as negative examples. Back in January when the investigation of the two individuals was opened, the military newspaper had already requested officers and soldiers to support the decisions made by the central authorities. With the recent announcements of disciplinary action, the military newspaper once again urged all military personnel to stand together, shifting the focus from punishing corruption to issues of political loyalty and command obedience. Military sources say that despite the new wave of demands for statements, some officers and soldiers are remaining silent.
Mr. Zhao, a retired military officer who follows military affairs closely, analyzed that the criticisms from the military newspaper towards Zhang and Liu are notably political in nature, carrying more weight than corruption allegations. He stated, “In addition to providing political characterization, the members of the Political Bureau Standing Committee will likely accuse Zhang and Liu of ‘subverting the party and seizing power.’ Saying that you have ‘dual intentions’ is to incite a coup. I estimate that the final outcome will be similar to that of Zhou Yongkang, resulting in a life sentence without the possibility of reduction.”
Zhao mentioned that based on his contacts within the grassroots units, there have been no reports of organized study sessions of the military newspaper articles, and officers and soldiers are reluctant to express their stance on the cases of Zhang and Liu. “In a military force of millions, where the top commander has been removed and the primary accusation is against violating the political rules of the Communist Party by engaging in collusion, there are no such charges in criminal law. Party members know that this is due to differing opinions on the actions of the top leadership. Saying they took bribes, who hasn’t? Why is only Zhang Youxia being investigated?”
When the CCP announced the investigation of Zhang and Liu in January, severe political characterizations were already imposed on them; however, after the announcement of sanctions in September, the complete case details have not been disclosed. The military newspaper continuously calls for officers and soldiers to support the central decisions but fails to address the military’s questions regarding the case. Several informed sources have indicated that within the military system, some individuals are dissatisfied and resentful towards the authorities’ strict information control and demands for statements from officers and soldiers.