China’s military leadership has been thrown into further turmoil after Beijing confirmed it is investigating one of the country’s most senior generals, extending a purge that has already sidelined dozens of top officers and defense executives.
China’s Ministry of National Defense announced Saturday that Gen. Zhang Youxia, the highest-ranking uniformed deputy under President Xi Jinping, is under investigation for alleged misconduct. The move marks one of the most significant removals yet in a campaign that has reshaped the upper ranks of the People’s Liberation Army over the past two years.
Since mid-2023, at least 60 senior military officers and defense-industry figures have been removed from public roles, replaced, or placed under investigation, according to official disclosures reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. Those affected span nearly every branch of China’s armed forces, including the army, navy, air force, rocket force, paramilitary police, and major theater commands, including the one responsible for Taiwan.
More than one in five officers promoted by Xi to the elite three-star rank have been dismissed or investigated for serious misconduct, the Journal’s count shows. Several senior commanders have taken up posts only to be replaced again within months, leaving parts of the military leadership in flux.
The shake-up has sharply reduced the number of senior officers serving alongside Xi on the Communist Party’s top military decision-making body. Xi now has just one uniformed officer on the panel he chairs, down from six when he consolidated power.
“As far as the corruption problem goes, I think that Xi has concluded that he had no other option but to cull virtually the entire generational cohort at the top” of the PLA, said Jon Czin, a China expert at the Brookings Institution and former CIA analyst.
The PLA remains one of the world’s largest militaries, with roughly two million personnel and advanced capabilities ranging from stealth aircraft to aircraft carriers. Under Xi, China has expanded its nuclear arsenal, increased its naval fleet beyond that of the US, and fielded newer weapons such as hypersonic missiles.
Military operations have continued as the purges unfolded, including frequent drills near Taiwan. Even so, analysts warn that constant leadership turnover could affect readiness and morale inside an institution central to Communist Party control.
State media has pushed back on claims that the crackdown is destabilizing. The PLA Daily said the investigation into Zhang reflects deeper scrutiny, not worsening corruption, and framed the probe as evidence of the party’s resolve.
China’s Ministry of National Defense announced Saturday that Gen. Zhang Youxia, the highest-ranking uniformed deputy under President Xi Jinping, is under investigation for alleged misconduct. The move marks one of the most significant removals yet in a campaign that has reshaped the upper ranks of the People’s Liberation Army over the past two years.
Since mid-2023, at least 60 senior military officers and defense-industry figures have been removed from public roles, replaced, or placed under investigation, according to official disclosures reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. Those affected span nearly every branch of China’s armed forces, including the army, navy, air force, rocket force, paramilitary police, and major theater commands, including the one responsible for Taiwan.
More than one in five officers promoted by Xi to the elite three-star rank have been dismissed or investigated for serious misconduct, the Journal’s count shows. Several senior commanders have taken up posts only to be replaced again within months, leaving parts of the military leadership in flux.
The shake-up has sharply reduced the number of senior officers serving alongside Xi on the Communist Party’s top military decision-making body. Xi now has just one uniformed officer on the panel he chairs, down from six when he consolidated power.
“As far as the corruption problem goes, I think that Xi has concluded that he had no other option but to cull virtually the entire generational cohort at the top” of the PLA, said Jon Czin, a China expert at the Brookings Institution and former CIA analyst.
The PLA remains one of the world’s largest militaries, with roughly two million personnel and advanced capabilities ranging from stealth aircraft to aircraft carriers. Under Xi, China has expanded its nuclear arsenal, increased its naval fleet beyond that of the US, and fielded newer weapons such as hypersonic missiles.
Military operations have continued as the purges unfolded, including frequent drills near Taiwan. Even so, analysts warn that constant leadership turnover could affect readiness and morale inside an institution central to Communist Party control.
State media has pushed back on claims that the crackdown is destabilizing. The PLA Daily said the investigation into Zhang reflects deeper scrutiny, not worsening corruption, and framed the probe as evidence of the party’s resolve.
