Zhang is a member of the elite Politburo of the ruling Communist Party and serves as vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission, while Liu holds the position of chief of staff at the CMC Joint Staff Department, per the ministry’s statement.
Zhang, 75, a seasoned modernizer, is regarded as President Xi Jinping’s closest military ally and one of the few leading officers with combat experience. He is one of two vice-chairmen of the CMC, which commands China’s armed forces.
CRACKDOWN ON GRAFT
The military has been a focal point of a widespread anti-corruption campaign initiated by Xi in 2012. This effort reached the senior ranks of the People’s Liberation Army in 2023 when the Rocket Force came under scrutiny.
In October 2025, eight top generals were expelled from the Communist Party for corruption, including the nation’s second-in-command general, He Weidong, who had worked under Xi alongside Zhang during his tenure on the Central Military Commission.
Additionally, two former defense ministers were also dismissed from the ruling party in recent years for corrupt practices. This crackdown is hindering the procurement of advanced weaponry and affecting the revenues of some of China’s largest defense enterprises.
Foreign diplomats and security analysts are closely monitoring the situation due to Zhang’s close ties with Xi and the commission’s critical role in both command and the ongoing military modernization efforts of the PLA.
While China has not engaged in warfare for decades, it is adopting a more assertive stance in the contested East China Sea and South China Sea, as well as regarding Taiwan, the self-ruled island claimed by China. Last year, Beijing conducted its largest military drills around Taiwan to date.
Zhang’s removal marks the second instance of a serving general on the Central Military Commission being ousted since the 1966-76 Cultural Revolution. He has not been seen publicly since November 20, when he met with Russia’s defense minister in Moscow.
Earlier in the month, Zhang expressed in an article his commitment to addressing “fake loyalty” and “two-faced individuals,” urging the military to eradicate “toxic influences and longstanding issues.”
CHILDREN OF CIVIL WAR VETERANS
Both Xi and Zhang hail from the northwestern province of Shaanxi and are children of former senior officials who fought together during the civil war in the 1940s.
Born in Beijing, Zhang enlisted in the army in 1968, steadily ascending the ranks and joining the military commission in late 2012 as the PLA’s modernization efforts accelerated.
A Pentagon profile of Zhang published in late 2023 indicated that he was expected to retire in 2022 at age 72, in line with customary military practices.
“However, Zhang’s continued presence on the CMC for a third term likely reflects Xi’s preference for a close and experienced ally as his principal military advisor,” the profile suggested, as part of the Pentagon’s annual report on China’s military that year.
Zhang participated in the conflict with Vietnam during a brief but intense border war in 1979, which China initiated as a response to Vietnam’s invasion of Cambodia the previous year, resulting in the ousting of the Beijing-supported Khmer Rouge.
At 26, Zhang was deployed to the front lines against the Vietnamese and was swiftly promoted, according to state media. He also engaged in another border clash with Vietnam in 1984 as the dispute continued.
“In the battle, whether on the offensive or defensive, Zhang Youxia showcased exceptional performance,” the official China Youth Daily highlighted in a 2017 article titled, “These Chinese Generals Have Killed the Enemy on the Battlefield.”
Some scholars focused on China have remarked that Zhang emerged from the conflict as a committed modernizer regarding military tactics, armaments, and the necessity for better-trained personnel.
