China’s top general Zhang Youxia under investigation amid Xi’s PLA purge

China’s top general Zhang Youxia, Xi Jinping’s trusted second-in-command, is under investigation for “grave violations of discipline and the law,” marking a major escalation in Xi’s purge of PLA leadership.

Moneycontrol World Desk

January 24, 2026 / 16:54 IST

Xi purges top generals in China

China’s top general, Zhang Youxia, long regarded as President Xi Jinping’s trusted second-in-command, has been placed under investigation, the Defense Ministry announced on Saturday.

Zhang is accused of “grave violations of discipline and the law,” marking the most significant escalation yet in Xi’s yearslong purge of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) elite.

Zhang, 75, serves as vice-chairman of the Communist Party’s Central Military Commission (CMC), the body overseeing China’s armed forces. He is being investigated alongside Liu Zhenli, 61, chief of staff of the CMC’s Joint Staff Department. The Defense Ministry said both were “suspected of serious violations of discipline and the law” but did not provide further details.

The investigations leave the CMC with only two members: President Xi, who chairs the body, and General Zhang Shengmin, who has overseen Xi’s military purges. All six uniformed commanders appointed to the commission in 2022 have now been removed, while Zhang Shengmin himself was promoted to the commission just last year.

Analysts say Zhang Youxia’s removal represents one of the most consequential military purges in decades, reflecting Xi’s determination to consolidate control over the PLA and eliminate potential rivals at the highest levels.