After four days of the opening ceremony of the Chinese Communist Party’s provincial and ministerial-level officials’ study class, Vice Chairman Zhang Youxia of the CCP Military Commission was absent. Shortly thereafter, the Ministry of National Defense of the People’s Republic of China announced his downfall and investigation, breaking the usual practice of delayed official announcements following the disappearance of high-ranking CCP military officials. The swift action raised questions about who was behind Zhang Youxia’s downfall.
Rumors of Zhang Youxia’s downfall had been circulating for several days, and on January 24th, it was confirmed by the Ministry of National Defense of the People’s Republic of China. The wording of the Defense Ministry spokesperson this time notably stated that following the “Party Central Committee” discussions, it was decided to investigate Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli without mentioning the “approval of the Central Military Commission”.
In contrast, more than three months ago (October 17, 2025), when the spokesperson of the Ministry of National Defense announced the downfall of nine generals including Vice Chairmen He Weidong, Miao Hua, and He Hongjun, it was stated that it was approved by the “Party Central Committee and the Central Military Commission”.
Speculations varied regarding who was responsible for taking down He Weidong?
On January 23, independent commentator Cai Shengkun disclosed on X platform that the news of the arrest of Zhang Youxia and 17 other senior generals was “absolutely accurate”. The Special Task Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security, the Central Guard Bureau, and the Central Discipline Inspection Commission all participated in the arrest operation, which was described as a “major military upheaval!” It was further claimed that a large number of major generals, brigadier generals, and even division-level military officers would also be captured.
The latest report from “South China Morning Post” cites insiders who revealed that Zhang Youxia was officially detained by the military anti-corruption department on January 19.
Political analyst Zhong Yuan analyzed that if Zhang Youxia is still under the control of the Discipline Inspection Commission of the CCP Military Commission, then Zhang Shengmin should oversee the investigation of both, and it remains to be seen whose orders Zhang Shengmin will follow. If Xi Jinping employs forces outside the military to strongly counterattack and attempt to reclaim military power, it would mean acknowledging a lack of reliable individuals within the military.
On January 24, Chinese political scholar Liu Junning quoted anonymous sources on the X platform, outlining a timeline of Zhang Youxia’s arrest. It was mentioned that the earliest revelation of the specific date of Zhang Youxia’s arrest in Chinese social media was January 16, with accompanying text stating, “January 16, something big happened in the People’s Liberation Army’s anti-corruption campaign!” along with what appeared to be a photo from the incident.
Compared to the formal announcements of the downfall of other high-ranking CCP military officials, the announcements regarding Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli seemed rushed, leading to speculation that an unexpected emergency situation had prompted their swift downfall.
Former Chairman of the CCP Military Commission He Weidong disappeared after the Two Sessions in March 2025 and was only officially announced to have fallen from grace in October 2025; while Zhang Youxia was swiftly declared fallen from grace only four days after missing the opening ceremony of the provincial and ministerial-level officials’ study class.
Following the downfall of Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli, various sources claimed that they were planning a coup together, which was thwarted due to betrayal leading to their capture.
Just hours after Zhang Youxia’s official downfall, at midnight on January 24, the PLA Daily published an article titled “PLA Daily Editorial: Firmly Win the Anti-corruption Battle of the Military, Launch a Long-term Comprehensive War,” swiftly defining and condemning Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli, using sharper language compared to the treatment of He Weidong and others. The article stated that handling Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli was a “significant achievement in the fight against corruption”, accusing them of “seriously trampling and undermining the system of the Chairman’s responsibility of the Military Commission, seriously fostering influences against the party’s absolute leadership over the military, harming the party’s ruling foundation… severely affecting the image and prestige of the Military Commission team… causing tremendous damage… leading to extremely negative effects”, and more.
Zhong Yuan’s analysis suggests that Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli were likely preparing for another power struggle before the upcoming CCP sessions, but they were taken down before succeeding. The battle for CCP military power has intensively heated up once again, with irreconcilable conflicts between different factions, showcasing fierce actions revealing the life-and-death struggles within the CCP.