On December 23, 2025, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) promoted Yang Zhibin, Commander of the Eastern Theater Command, and Han Shengyan, Commander of the Central Theater Command, to the rank of General. The promotion ceremony held a day earlier saw only four Generals in attendance, namely Zhang Youxia, Zhang Shengmin, Liu Zhenli, and Dong Jun, signaling a significant turnover in the active Generals previously promoted by Xi Jinping amidst recent internal turmoil within the military.
According to official Chinese state media Xinhua News Agency on the 22nd, the promotion ceremony for the Generals took place at the Bayi Building in Beijing, presided over by Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission Zhang Shengmin. Another Vice Chairman, Zhang Youxia, read out the promotion orders signed by the Communist Party leader Xi Jinping, who presented the orders to Yang Zhibin and Han Shengyan.
Images from the official news media revealed that only the four aforementioned Generals attended the promotion ceremony: Zhang Youxia, Zhang Shengmin, Liu Zhenli, and Dong Jun.
Among the four Generals, Minister of National Defense Dong Jun was the only one seated in the audience. In the front row, along with the newly promoted Generals Yang Zhibin and Han Shengyan, were four Lieutenant Generals: Chen Demin, Deputy Director of the Political Work Department of the Central Military Commission; Chen Chi, Minister of Logistics Support Department of the Central Military Commission; Liu Di, Minister of Training and Administration Department of the Central Military Commission; and Zhang Like, Minister of the Mobilization Department of the Central Military Commission.
An analysis by the X Account “Chinese Personnel Observation” indicated that the last promotion ceremony took place a year ago. On December 23, 2024, the Central Military Commission held a ceremony to promote Generals, with 20 Generals present. Within a year’s time, 16 Generals—80% of all Generals—were unable to attend the promotion ceremony.
Additionally, out of the 21 Generals who attended the promotion ceremony last year (including the newly promoted General Chen Hui of the Army), a total of 10 Generals participated in the Fourth Plenum: Zhang Youxia, Zhang Shengmin, Liu Zhenli, Dong Jun, Chen Hui, Chang Dingqiu, Guo Puxiao, Wang Qiang, Yang Xuejun, and Ling Huanxin. Less than two months later, only four of these ten remained present. Chen Hui, Chang Dingqiu, Guo Puxiao, Wang Qiang, Yang Xuejun, and Ling Huanxin were absent from the promotion ceremony on the 22nd.
Previously noted by Dajiyuan, based on the criteria of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, there were 41 active Generals at that time. Considering the time of their promotion to General, the list included Zhang Youxia, Miao Hua, Zhang Shengmin, Li Shangfu, Zheng He, He Weidong, Li Qiaoming, Li Fengbiao, Yang Xuejun, Xu Zhongbo, Guo Puxiao, Li Wei, Wang Chunning, Wang Xiubin, Xu Qiling, Liu Zhenli, Ju Qiansheng, Wang Haijiang, Lin Xiangyang, Dong Jun, Chang Dingqiu, Xu Xueqiang, Liu Qingsong, Wu Yanan, Xu Deqing, Qin Shutong, Yuan Huazhi, Li Yuchao, Zhang Hongbing, Wang Qiang, Huang Ming, Zheng Xuan, Ling Huanxin, Wang Houbin, Xu Xisheng, Wang Wenquan, Hu Zhongming, Wang Renhua, Xiao Tianliang, He Hongjun, and Chen Hui.
If we look at the attendance of this promotion ceremony, it appears that almost all Generals have been replaced. The swift turnover raises questions, especially since General He Hongjun, promoted in July 2024, was expelled from the party and the military in October 2025. General Chen Hui was promoted to Army General on December 23, 2024, and if removed from the position relatively soon, it would mark the shortest tenure for a General.
However, the reasons for the absence of General Chen Hui and several other Generals have yet to be confirmed.
Regarding the promotion of Yang Zhibin and Han Shengyan to the rank of General as Commanders of the Eastern and Central Theater Commands respectively, Kao Chien-wen, a special lecturer at the Department of Political Science and East Asian Studies at National Chengchi University, told Lianhe Zaobao that there are many vacancies among the Generals that need to be filled. The prioritized elevation of the heads of the Eastern and Central Theater Commands is primarily due to the former’s responsibility for the Taiwan Strait and East China Sea, and the latter acting as a crucial strategic reserve force for various military regions and responsible for the defense of the political center in Beijing.
Kao Chien-wen noted that the senior leadership’s cautious approach in promoting Generals is mainly due to a shortage of eligible candidates and a lack of absolute trust, as both newly promoted Generals are relatively old in age.
Chinese affairs expert Wang He told NTD Television that the promotion to the rank of General is routine, as per the hierarchy within the PLA. However, the peculiar aspect is that while the acting Commander of the Eastern Theater Command was promoted to General, the acting Political Commissar, Zhang Jichun, did not receive a concurrent promotion. Zhang Jichun, a former Rocket Force officer under Zhang Shengmin’s command, was not promoted alongside his superior.
Wang He expressed doubts about Zhang Shengmin’s promotion to Vice Chairman of the Military Commission without being appointed as a member of the Central Political Bureau, suggesting that while there are two Vice Chairmen of the Military Commission, Zhang Shengmin’s authority as Vice Chairman may be nominal.
Both Yang Zhibin and Han Shengyan have backgrounds in the Air Force. However, in a rare move in December, the PLA openly sought information on corrupt practices in the Air Force procurement, while at the same time there were reports that the Air Force Commander Chang Dingqiu and Political Commissar Guo Puxiao were under investigation, with even rumors of Chang Dingqiu’s death. Speculations abound that Yang Zhibin and Han Shengyan may not be immune to possible future troubles in the midst of internal struggles within the military.
(Previously reported: Rising of two Generals amidst internal strife within the CCP garners attention)