Wednesday, January 28, 2026-China’s political and military apparatus was jolted this week as General Zhang Youxia, the highest-ranking active military officer and vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, was abruptly removed from his post and placed under investigation for alleged serious violations of discipline and law.
Zhang’s fall alongside another senior commander, General Liu Zhenli marks one of the most dramatic upheavals in the People’s Liberation Army in decades, stripping the military’s top leadership of seasoned experience and leaving a dangerous vacuum at the core of China’s armed forces. The purge has intensified concerns about growing instability within the PLA and Beijing’s wider power structure.
The fallout has been swift and far-reaching. With the commission effectively hollowed out, President Xi Jinping now holds unprecedented personal control over military decision-making, even as institutional command experience erodes.
Analysts warn that removing senior generals who oversaw modernization and strategic planning could weaken operational readiness and morale across the ranks. This internal turmoil arrives at a sensitive geopolitical moment, as Taiwan and regional actors closely watch Beijing’s leadership shake-up and reassess their security postures amid rising tensions.
Critics argue that what authorities describe as an anti-corruption drive is, in reality, an aggressive consolidation of power that prioritizes political loyalty over professional military competence.
The purge highlights a deeper leadership crisis within China’s armed forces, where fear and obedience increasingly replace institutional stability and expertise. As Beijing pushes forward with expanding military ambitions, the sudden loss of trusted commanders raises urgent questions about cohesion, credibility, and the long-term effectiveness of China’s military command structure.
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