Beijing, China – China’s Defense Ministry announced on Saturday that the ruling Communist Party has launched formal investigations into two of the country’s top military commanders for “serious violations of discipline and law,” in the latest chapter of an ongoing anti-corruption campaign within the military establishment.
The ministry said in a statement carried by Reuters that the investigation involves Zhang Youxia, a member of the Politburo of the Communist Party
and vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, along with Liu Zhenli,
chief of the Joint Staff Department of the Central Military Commission, the highest command body of the Chinese armed forces.
Zhang Youxia, 75, is one of China’s most prominent military figures and is widely considered President Xi Jinping’s closest military ally.
He is also among the few senior officers with direct combat experience.
The Central Military Commission, of which Zhang is a leading figure, oversees the leadership and modernization of the People’s Liberation Army.
Corruption-related cases
This move comes as part of a broad anti-corruption campaign launched by President Xi Jinping since
he took office in 2012, targeting various state institutions, with the military being a prime target.
The campaign reached its peak within the armed forces in 2023, when investigations extended to the Rocket Force,
one of the most sensitive branches of the Chinese military.
In October 2025, eight top generals were expelled from the Communist Party on charges of corruption,
including General He Weidong, who was considered the country’s second most powerful military leader
and served alongside Zhang on the Central Military Commission.
In recent years, two former defense ministers have also been dismissed from the ruling party in corruption cases.
Analysts say these developments have slowed the pace of advanced weapons procurement
and impacted the revenues of some of China’s largest defense companies.
Foreign diplomats and security analysts are closely monitoring these developments, given the sensitivity of the positions involved,
Zhang’s close relationship with President Xi Jinping, and the potential impact the investigations could have on the ongoing military modernization and the future of the Chinese armed forces.
