- China opened an investigation into Central Military Commission vice chairman Zhang Youxia and Joint Staff chief Liu Zhenli as part of a sweeping military purge ordered by Xi Jinping.
- The removal of senior commanders is expected to disrupt PLA leadership continuity and delay near-term planning for a military operation against Taiwan, according to The Telegraph.
China has placed its top operational military commander, General Zhang Youxia, under investigation for serious violations of discipline and law, a move that is expected to disrupt command continuity and delay any near-term plans for a military operation against Taiwan, The Telegraph reported.
China’s Ministry of National Defense confirmed on Saturday that Zhang, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), is under investigation alongside Liu Zhenli, chief of staff of the CMC Joint Staff Department. Both men served on the CMC, the body that directs PLA strategy, operations, and political control under the Communist Party.
The Telegraph reported that Zhang’s removal represents the most senior military dismissal of Xi’s rule and leaves the president with near-total control of the PLA’s top command structure. As senior vice chairman of the CMC, Zhang was directly responsible for operational readiness and the execution of military modernization plans.
Western analysts cited by the newspaper said the purge is likely to delay any attempt to seize Taiwan by force. Zhang’s position placed him at the center of planning for large-scale joint operations, including amphibious and air campaigns required for a Taiwan contingency. His sudden removal, combined with earlier dismissals, has created leadership gaps at the highest levels of the PLA.
In October, Chinese authorities removed nine senior generals, including former CMC vice chairman He Weidong, as part of the same anti-corruption drive, according to The Telegraph. The purge has affected officers responsible for missile forces, procurement, and logistics, disrupting coordination across key combat and support branches.
“The purge is really just complete,” Lyle Morris, senior fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute, told The Telegraph. “It’s a complete cleaning house… the biggest purge in Chinese history since 1949.” He added that the PLA’s command structure is now under strain, making a major cross-strait operation unlikely in the near term.
Xi has repeatedly directed the PLA to accelerate modernization and improve combat readiness, doubling China’s defense budget since taking office and setting a goal of building a “world-class” military by 2049. U.S. intelligence assessments have previously stated that Xi ordered the PLA to be ready for a Taiwan operation by 2027, a timeline now under pressure from internal instability.