On January 24, 2026, it was announced that Zhang Youxia, member of the Politburo of the Communist Party of China and Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, and Liu Zhenli, member of the Central Military Commission and Chief of Staff of the Joint Staff Department of the Central Military Commission, were suddenly placed under investigation. Analysts believe that these two individuals were the last senior military leaders in the Chinese Communist Party with actual combat experience, and their downfall has dealt a significant blow to the military capabilities of the CCP, with Xi Jinping having effectively hollowed out the command structure of the Communist Party military.
Zhang Youxia, born in July 1950 in Weinan, Shaanxi, comes from a family with a strong military background. His father, Zhang Zongxun, was a senior military official in the early days of the CCP and rose to become the Minister of the General Logistics Department of the Communist Party military.
Zhang Youxia participated in the Sino-Vietnamese War in 1979, and in 1984, he led his troops in the Liangshan Battle. It is worth noting that Zhang Zongxun and his son Zhang Youxia were known as the “father-son generals,” and Zhang Zongxun was a close comrade-in-arms with Xi Jinping’s father, Xi Zhongxun, before the founding of the Chinese Communist Party. Since Xi Jinping came to power, Zhang Youxia has been one of the military princelings supporting Xi’s leadership.
Alongside Zhang Youxia, Liu Zhenli, born in August 1964 in Luancheng, Hebei, was also put under investigation. Liu enlisted in the military in September 1983 and was assigned to the Reconnaissance Company of the 112th Division of the Army. Starting from April 30, 1986, he participated in the Liangshan Battle and served on the front line for over a year.
Political commentator Li Linyi remarked that the Chinese Communist military has not engaged in combat for many years, and Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli were the last remaining military leaders with real combat experience. Their removal represents a significant blow to the military power and potentially to the political regime itself.
Shen Mingshi, a researcher at the Taiwan Institute for National Defense and Security Studies, stated that Zhang and Liu were both military leaders with combat experience, and their political intentions and ideologies differed from Xi Jinping’s, leading to their purge. People like He Weidong and Miao Hua, who bested Zhang Youxia in political struggles, lack combat experience but are more politically loyal to Xi Jinping. Under their guidance, the military may not be as effective in combat, but they will unquestionably carry out Xi Jinping’s orders, increasing the risk of expansionist or military actions abroad.
Shen Mingshi noted that there are still some generals who participated in combat in 1988, but many of them have already been replaced. The biggest issue facing the CCP military now is the numerous vacant senior military positions, as many lieutenant generals are likely to be implicated and purged due to the cases of Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli, further depleting the command structure of the Communist Party’s military.
Shen Mingshi predicted that Zhang Shengmin, who was recently promoted to Vice Chairman of the Military Commission, may have been bought off by Xi Jinping. With only him left in the Central Military Commission, the question of immediate replacements remains uncertain. Zhong Shaojun was seen as a potential successor to a Commission member, and it is worth observing whether he will make a comeback. If no suitable candidates are found, Xi may bring up Defense Minister Dong Jun to at least maintain the operational capacity of the Central Military Commission with two to three members.
Australian scholar Yuan Hongbing previously stated that Xi Jinping’s so-called self-revolution and extensive purges have effectively dismantled the leadership bodies at all levels of the CCP military. 2026 is expected to be the weakest year for the Chinese Communist Party’s military power.