In the midst of the internal strife within the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) military, there are reports of a widespread investigation currently underway. General Wang Chunning, the former Political Commissar of the People’s Armed Police (PAP), has been officially removed from his position. General Zhang Hongbing, the Political Commissar of the PAP, has been “missing” for a year, and the acting Commander of the PAP is now Cao Junzhang. However, during the promotion ceremony to the rank of general two days ago on the 22nd, Cao Junzhang was absent, and another representative stood in for the PAP. It’s rumored that Cao Junzhang may also be facing removal from his position.
According to the official CCP media Xinhua News Agency on the 22nd, the promotion ceremony for the generals took place at the Bayi Building in Beijing, presided over by Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission Zhang Shengmin. Deputy Chairman of the Military Commission Zhang Yuxia read out the promotion order signed by CCP leader Xi Jinping, presenting commendations to Yang Zhibin and Han Shengyan.
On CCTV footage, it was shown that the attendees representing the PAP were Major General Peng Jingtang, Commander of the Hong Kong Garrison, and Major General Wang Hongbin, former Political Commissar of the Navy Marine Corps.
According to Hong Kong’s “Sing Tao Daily,” it is anticipated that Peng Jingtang has been appointed Deputy Commander of the PAP, while Wang Hongbin has been appointed Deputy Political Commissar, overseeing the work of the PAP.
Public records indicate that both Peng Jingtang and Wang Hongbin come from the PAP system. Peng Jingtang has previously served as the Director of the Military Training Department of the Jinan Military Region, Chief of Staff of the Xinjiang General Corps of the PAP, and Deputy Chief of Staff of the PAP. In January 2022, he was appointed as the Commander of the Hong Kong Garrison. Wang Hongbin has served as the Political Commissar of the Yunnan General Corps of the PAP and the Political Commissar of the Navy Marine Corps.
Former PAP Commander Wang Chunning was already announced to have been removed from office before the CCP’s Fourth Plenum. Caixin Online had reported in July 2025 that Cao Junzhang had been appointed as the acting Commander of the PAP.
In the recent military clean-up, active-duty generals who have been removed from their military and political positions are being replaced with lower-ranking generals on an interim basis. In November, when the Fujian aircraft carrier entered service, both the Navy Commander Hu Zhongming and the Navy Political Commissar Yuan Huazhi were absent from the ceremony. Instead, Major General Cui Yuzhong and Major General Leng Shaojie, acting Navy Commander and acting Political Commissar, respectively, attended.
“Zhongguo Zhongju” speculates that these interim appointees have complex backgrounds, and it remains unknown whether they will be able to safely navigate the current turmoil within the military ranks.
On December 22, the CCP military promoted Yang Zhibin to the rank of general as the Commander of the Eastern Theater Command. However, Zhang Jichun, who has been acting as the Political Commissar of the Eastern Theater Command, was not promoted at the same time.
During the recent promotion ceremony for the generals, only four generals including Zhang Yuxia, Zhang Shengmin, Liu Zhenli, and Dong Jun were present in what may indicate that most of the active-duty generals who were previously promoted by Xi Jinping have been swept away in the recent military internal disputes.
Independent commentator Du Zheng wrote in an article for Taiwanese media on November 9th, stating that a source within a certain CCP military organization revealed that there is currently an internal “everyone passes” initiative within the military, quietly clearing out the influence of Miao Hua and He Weidong, and investigating who may have bought positions from them or their intermediaries.