Following the personnel reshuffling after the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, the purge continues. Former Political Commissar of the National Defense University, Zhong Shaojun, has been replaced by Lieutenant General Xia Zhihe. The current whereabouts of Zhong Shaojun are unknown. Analysts speculate that the issues surrounding Zhong Shaojun may lead to further investigation, and his safe landing is uncertain.
According to information on the website of the Chinese Embassy in North Korea, a reception was held last Saturday (October 25th) at the Chinese Embassy in North Korea to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Chinese military going abroad for combat. More than 140 representatives from the Chinese military, including a delegation led by Political Commissar Xia Zhihe of the National Defense University, who is currently visiting North Korea, attended the event.
This indicates that Xia Zhihe has already taken over from Zhong Shaojun as the Political Commissar of the National Defense University.
Public records show that Xia Zhihe, a Major General, has previously served as the Deputy Director of the Organization Department of the National Defense University, the Political Commissar of the Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences at the National Defense University, the Political Commissar of the Computer College at the National Defense University (deputy military rank), the Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission and Director of the Supervisory Committee of the Navy of the Eastern Theater Command, and the Political Commissar of the Naval Command College.
From recent news footage aired by CCTV, it can be confirmed that Zhong Shaojun attended the just-concluded Fourth Plenary Session, but his current status remains unknown.
As a long-time confidant of Xi Jinping within the military, Zhong Shaojun previously served as the Director of the General Office of the Central Military Commission and was a member of the 20th Central Committee. In April 2024, there were reports of his transfer from the General Office of the Central Military Commission to the Political Commissar of the National Defense University, although the Chinese authorities never officially announced this.
On August 19, 2025, the Singapore Ministry of Defense posted a report on Facebook about their officials meeting with National Defense University Political Commissar Zhong Shaojun in Beijing. However, the Chinese official media suppressed this news within the country, sparking speculation.
According to the independent media outlet “Current Affairs Eye,” Zhong Shaojun was the most trusted person of Xi Jinping. His departure raises suspicions as it does not align with normal appointment procedures. Xia Zhihe was already in his new role before the Fourth Plenary Session, but it was only officially announced by the media on the 25th. Zhong Shaojun’s “atypical departure” suggests that he was not promoted and did not sever ties with the National Defense University.
Independent commentator Cai Shunkun had previously disclosed on August 22 that Zhong Shaojun had been removed from his position as the Political Commissar of the National Defense University. In September, Cai further revealed that Zhong Shaojun had not only been dismissed but had also retired from active service.
Regarding the announcement from the Chinese Embassy in North Korea about the change in the Political Commissar of the National Defense University, Cai Shunkun commented on X on October 26, stating that former Political Commissar Zhong Shaojun had been quietly dismissed. Initial rumors suggested that Zhong Shaojun would take over as the Director of the Political Work Department of the Central Military Commission, becoming a member of the Central Military Commission, but later reports indicated that he returned to the General Office as the Deputy Director. Last month, he was not only relieved of his duties as the Political Commissar of the National Defense University but also retired from active service, bidding farewell to the political scene ahead of other younger Central Committee members (following Yin Yong and He Junkes). This has led to various speculations about whether Xi could not retain his most trusted confidant, or whether Xi himself made the decision to remove Zhong, or if other military or party factions forced Zhong Shaojun to step down.
Cai Shunkun believes that Zhong Shaojun is still a Central Committee member and participated in the Fourth Plenary Session, but the corruption issues surrounding the process of selecting generals associated with him are escalating. Furthermore, his mother reportedly profited significantly from a “golden tea” business in Zhejiang, leveraging her relationship with him. At present, it seems that Zhong Shaojun’s safe landing is also uncertain.