Overview
- China’s Defense Ministry said on January 24 that CMC vice chair Zhang Youxia and Joint Staff Department chief Liu Zhenli are under investigation for suspected serious violations of discipline and law.
- The announcement offered no specifics on alleged wrongdoing and used standard language typically employed in corruption cases.
- Zhang, 75, is the highest-ranking serving general, a Politburo member and widely viewed as Xi Jinping’s closest military ally, while Liu, 61, oversees joint operations, training and combat planning.
- The probes follow recent purges that expelled eight generals in October 2025, including former CMC vice chair He Weidong, and earlier removals of former defense ministers Li Shangfu and Wei Fenghe.
- Reporting notes the shake-up leaves the CMC short on operational leaders and could affect near-term readiness, with Hong Kong media earlier citing the generals’ absences and reporting Zhang’s detention; no successors have been announced.