China's defence ministry said on Saturday that the Communist Party has authorised formal investigations into two high-ranking military officials - Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli - for suspected serious violations of party discipline and the law.
Zhang Youxia is a member of the Politburo and serves as one of two vice-chairmen of the Central Military Commission (CMC), the top body overseeing China's armed forces. Liu Zhenli holds the post of chief of staff of the CMC Joint Staff Department, according to the ministry statement.
Zhang, 75, is widely regarded as a veteran proponent of military modernisation and is seen as among President Xi Jinping's closest allies within the armed forces. He is one of the few senior officers with frontline combat experience. The defence ministry's announcement did not provide further operational details about the alleged violations.
Background to the probe
The investigation into Zhang and Liu arrives amid a long-running crackdown on corruption within the military that President Xi initiated in 2012. That campaign intensified at senior levels of the People’s Liberation Army in recent years, most notably when the Rocket Force became a focus in 2023.
In October 2025, eight senior generals were expelled from the Communist Party on graft charges, among them the country's number two general, He Weidong. He had served under President Xi and was a colleague of Zhang on the Central Military Commission. The probe has also seen two former defence ministers removed from the party in recent years for corruption, as announced previously by party authorities.
Analysts and foreign diplomatic observers have been closely following developments because of Zhang’s proximity to the presidency and the central role the CMC plays in military command and in carrying forward the PLA’s modernisation efforts.
Operational and political effects
Party officials have said the anti-graft drive has had tangible effects on the military’s procurement processes and the finances of major defence contractors. The defence ministry note linked to this announcement did not quantify those effects, but previous reporting has indicated that the crackdown has slowed procurement of advanced weaponry and reduced revenues for some of China’s largest defence firms.
Observers point to the wider strategic context in which the probe appears. China has adopted a more assertive posture in regional maritime disputes and over the self-ruled island of Taiwan, which Beijing claims. In late 2024 Beijing conducted its largest military exercises to date around Taiwan, underscoring the operational importance of the CMC’s work as the PLA pursues modernisation and adjusts its regional posture.
Zhang's career and public profile
Zhang's removal from public duties marks only the second time a serving general on the Central Military Commission has been taken off the body since the 1966-1976 Cultural Revolution, according to party records. He has not appeared in public since November 20, when he reportedly met in Moscow with Russia’s defence minister.
Earlier in November, Zhang authored an article warning against "fake loyalty" and "two-faced men" within the ranks and urged the military to eradicate what he described as "poisonous influences and long-standing problems." The defence ministry did not connect those remarks directly to the probe.
Zhang and President Xi share regional origins - both hail from Shaanxi province - and both are the sons of senior officials who fought together in the 1940s civil war. Zhang was born in Beijing and joined the army in 1968. He rose through the ranks over decades, joining the Central Military Commission in late 2012 as the PLA’s modernisation drive accelerated.
A Pentagon profile published in late 2023 noted that Zhang had been expected to retire in 2022 at the age of 72, in keeping with typical military practice. The profile said, "However, Zhang’s retention on the CMC for a third term probably reflects Xi’s desire to keep a close and experienced ally as his top military adviser."
Zhang also has frontline combat credentials. He fought in a brief but violent border war with Vietnam in 1979, a campaign that China launched in response to Vietnam’s intervention in Cambodia the previous year and the ousting of the Beijing-backed Khmer Rouge. At age 26, Zhang saw action on the front lines and was quickly promoted thereafter, according to state media reports. He also participated in a subsequent border clash with Vietnam in 1984.
State-run outlets have highlighted his battlefield record. A 2017 China Youth Daily article, titled "These Chinese generals have killed the enemy on the battlefield," praised Zhang’s performance, saying, "During the battle, whether attacking or defending, Zhang Youxia performed excellently." Some scholars cited in prior analysis have described Zhang as an advocate for modern tactics, improved weapons and better-trained forces following those conflicts.
What remains unclear
The defence ministry's announcement provided limited specifics about the nature of the alleged offences or the timetable for the investigations. It did not disclose whether Zhang or Liu will face criminal prosecution, nor did it outline immediate personnel changes within the CMC.
Foreign diplomats and security analysts continue to monitor the situation closely, given the potential implications for command structures, ongoing modernisation efforts and the relationships between senior military leaders and civilian authorities.