In a shocking development that has reverberated throughout Chinese society and captured the attention of international media, top Chinese Communist Party leader Zhang Yuxia has been taken down from his position. This move, along with the investigation of Central Military Commission member Liu Zhenli, is seen as a significant blow that is hollowing out the top ranks of the Chinese Communist Party’s military.
On Saturday, January 24th, China’s state broadcaster CCTV reported, citing information from the Ministry of National Defense, that Zhang Yuxia, member of the Politburo of the Central Committee and Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, and Liu Zhenli, member of the Central Military Commission and Chief of the Joint Staff Department, are under investigation for “serious violations of discipline and law.”
Analysts point out that the rate and scale of leadership changes within the Chinese Communist Party’s military have been unprecedented since the post-Mao Zedong era. This impact is particularly evident in the Central Military Commission. When this term began in 2022, the Central Military Commission was composed of seven individuals. With the announcement on Saturday, it was revealed that the highest military command structure of the Chinese Communist Party, the Central Military Commission, now has only two members remaining: Chairman Xi Jinping and Vice Chairman Zhang Shenmin.
This explosive news has drawn attention from international media outlets such as Reuters, Bloomberg, and The Wall Street Journal.
Bloomberg noted that this purge directly targeted the highest echelons of Chinese military power, further expanding the most extensive cleansing of generals within the Chinese Communist Party since the chaotic rule of Mao Zedong ended in 1976. The downfall of Zhang Yuxia also marks the first time Xi Jinping has investigated one of his close allies. Their fathers had fought side by side in the past.
Alfred Wu, Associate Professor at the National University of Singapore, believes that this purge indicates that various factions have already begun to vie for key powers and positions before the convening of the 21st National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party in 2027.
Citing Wu, Bloomberg reported, “Generally speaking, the longer a general stays in office, the more likely they are to form their own factions, and their loyalty to Xi Jinping may decrease as a result.”
Zhang Yuxia and Liu Zhenli are regarded as key figures in the military and are among the few Chinese Communist Party generals with actual combat experience. They had briefly participated in border conflicts between China and Vietnam.
Some China scholars point out that the conflict with Vietnam helped Zhang Yuxia rise to fame, after which he emphasized the development of the Chinese military.
At 61 years old, Liu Zhenli serves as the Chief of the Joint Staff Department of the Central Military Commission, responsible for overseeing military operations, intelligence, and training.
Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping launched a large-scale anti-corruption campaign in 2012, with the military becoming a primary target. In the summer of 2023, the Party leader intensified efforts to clean up the national defense apparatus, starting with military officers commanding China’s nuclear arsenal and then reaching into the highest ranks of the military as well as defense contractors producing stealth fighters and other advanced weaponry. Official disclosure documents reviewed by The Wall Street Journal show that in the past two and a half years, over 50 senior military officers and defense industry executives have been investigated or dismissed.
Those dismissed include senior officers from the Chinese Army, Air Force, Navy, Strategic Missile Forces, and People’s Armed Police, as well as commanders of major theater commands (including the one responsible for Taiwan). In 2023, the Rocket Force of the Chinese Communist Party became a target, expanding the cleansing to the top echelons of the military. In October 2025, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission He Weidong, former head of the Political Work Department of the Military Commission Miao Hua, and nine others were accused of serious crimes in their positions and were expelled from the Party.
Previous reports have suggested that power struggles between Zhang Yuxia and Xi Jinping led to the downfall of a group of Xi’s trusted allies, including He Weidong and Miao Hua.
Two former Chinese Communist Party Defense Ministers have also been expelled from the Party on corruption charges. Reuters reported that this anti-corruption campaign is slowing down the procurement of advanced weapons and hitting the revenues of some major Chinese defense companies.
The successive downfall of dozens of senior Chinese Communist Party military officers and defense industry executives has raised concerns among outsiders about China’s ability to build a force capable of engaging Western militaries in combat.
A recent assessment report from the Pentagon indicates that the removal of a large number of Chinese military officers “is very likely to disrupt the operational effectiveness of the military in the short term.”
Currently, foreign diplomats and security analysts are closely monitoring the situation for further developments.