Two of Xi’s most trusted generals are under probe; what broke inside China’s military?

The removal of Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli leaves China’s military leadership concentrated under Xi Jinping as investigations revive scrutiny of corruption and discipline within the PLA.

• China ousted top generals Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli for disciplinary breaches.
• Xi Jinping enforces strict military discipline and anti-corruption measures.
• Shake-up concentrates PLA leadership under Xi and General Zhang Shengmin

Did our AI summary help?

China has removed two of its most senior military leaders and placed them under investigation for “serious disciplinary violations”, a rare move that reshapes the leadership of the People’s Liberation Army and sharpens focus on internal discipline under President Xi Jinping.

The Ministry of National Defence said Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli would be stripped of their posts, though no detailed charges were disclosed.

Who was removed

Zhang had been the PLA’s most senior general since October 2022 and was the highest-ranking military member of the Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party. He also served as senior vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, the body that controls China’s armed forces.

Liu, a former commander of the PLA Ground Force, was most recently in charge of the Central Military Commission’s Joint Staff Department.

Their removals temporarily leave the military leadership concentrated under Xi and General Zhang Shengmin, after three other commission members lost their positions since 2024 and were not replaced.

Surprise move, limited visibility

The decision triggered dramatic reactions abroad, but analysts caution that China’s opaque political system makes interpretation difficult. Both men had appeared in public as recently as a month ago and were widely viewed as loyal to Xi, making the speed of the move notable.

Zhang’s family has longstanding ties with Xi’s, dating back to the early years of the Communist movement.

Corruption and discipline focus

China’s military has faced sustained disciplinary scrutiny in recent years, particularly over corruption linked to procurement in technologically advanced branches of the PLA. Since 2022, around two dozen senior military figures have been dismissed or investigated.

Past practice suggests that once a senior official falls from favour, multiple accusations often follow, regardless of the initial trigger.

Allegations and speculation

Media reports, including one by the Wall Street Journal, have alleged Zhang may have provided sensitive information to the United States, alongside claims of bribery and forming political cliques. Beijing has not confirmed any such details.

There is also speculation that the dismissals could reflect internal disagreements over how aggressively corruption within the military should be tackled.

Xi’s anti-graft push

Xi has made the fight against corruption a core political priority since 2012 and recently described it as a “major struggle” ahead of China’s upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan. He has repeatedly said the party must rely on cadres who are “loyal, reliable and responsible”.

Despite the scale of the removals, analysts see little sign that Xi’s personal authority has been weakened or challenged.

What it means for China’s military

Some observers argue the shake-up could disrupt command cohesion and reduce confidence in the PLA, even lowering the near-term likelihood of military action against Taiwan. Others caution that the removals alone say little about China’s actual military capability.

What is clearer is that Beijing appears to be signalling a renewed push to enforce discipline at the very top of its armed forces, even at the cost of short-term instability within the PLA.

(With inputs from PTI and The Conversation)