The recent purge of Zhang Youxia, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China, and Liu Zhenli, a member of the Central Military Commission, continues to draw international attention. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stated on Wednesday (January 28th) that this is part of the Chinese Communist Party’s purge of military leaders, with the United States closely monitoring the situation in China.
During a hearing at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday, Pompeo expressed his views on the recent purge within the CCP. He said that the downfall of these military leaders is “part of a pattern we’ve seen over the past few years, which is the purge of their military leadership.”
Pompeo said, “They are investing heavily in their military, and apparently some individuals are embezzling these funds, and they are trying to address this issue.”
“This is an issue within their system. They clearly have not shared or discussed any relevant matters with us, but it is certainly something we are closely watching,” he added.
The CCP officially announced last Saturday (January 24th) that Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli are being investigated for “serious violations of discipline and law,” sparking public outcry.
In CCP terminology, “violations of discipline” usually refer to corruption, but it is closely related to factional struggles. Since the Mao Zedong era, successive CCP leaders have often used such investigations to eliminate dissent. In recent years, Xi Jinping’s consolidation efforts have focused more on ensuring the loyalty and political reliability of top military officials. Analysts point out that senior military officers are more likely to become targets.
The CCP has been increasing military spending in recent years in an attempt to enhance its military capabilities. The Wall Street Journal reported that so far, the biggest victims of the CCP’s military expansion have been the elite. Xi Jinping has removed a number of senior military officers accused of corruption and disloyalty.
The sharp rise in CCP military spending has fostered corruption within the defense establishment, and the problem of corruption within the organization has never been thoroughly resolved. For example, the CCP military has constructed about 350 ballistic missile launch silos in remote areas of northern China. However, the Pentagon’s 2024 report on Chinese (CCP) military power pointed out that at least some of the silo covers have problems, likely requiring the CCP military to conduct repairs.
Several commanding officers responsible for these launch silos were eventually removed from their positions. The Pentagon’s 2024 report indicated that the “comprehensive dismissals” of senior Rocket Force leaders may be related to fraudulent cases during the rapid construction of underground ballistic missile launch silos.
In addition to corruption issues, Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli also face accusations of factional activities and challenging Xi Jinping’s authority. Analysts believe these are the most serious accusations against them. The anti-corruption campaign among CCP leaders is ultimately about ensuring the absolute loyalty of those around them.
The Washington Post cited Yun Sun, director of the Stimson Center’s China program, saying that technically, Zhang Youxia was the only one with the military power to challenge Xi Jinping in reality.
As the top-ranked Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission (a position that combines the roles of US Secretary of Defense, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and some responsibilities of the National Security Advisor), Zhang Youxia has broad strategic authority over almost all military affairs, from personnel promotions and budget allocations to strategic planning and military operations, and is only accountable to Xi Jinping.