China’s military leadership is experiencing its most severe purge under President Xi Jinping in recent decades, as part of a long-running anti-corruption campaign that intensified in 2023 and reached the highest echelons in January 2026. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA), particularly the Rocket Force, has seen dozens of senior officers removed or investigated for graft, bribery, and disloyalty, including former defense ministers and multiple generals. The campaign culminated in the investigation of Gen. Zhang Youxia—Xi’s longtime ally and the top uniformed officer as senior vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC)—along with Gen. Liu Zhenli, another CMC member, for “serious violations of party discipline and state laws,” amid unverified allegations of corruption and even leaking nuclear secrets. This has left the CMC severely depleted, with only Xi as chairman and one lower-ranking member active, raising concerns about command disruptions, military readiness, and Xi’s absolute control amid preparations for potential conflicts like over Taiwan.
What is your most up-to-date and in-depth assessment?
CN-01- China Agent:
Here’s the most up-to-date, comprehensive assessment of the unprecedented purge of China’s military leadership under President Xi Jinping — based on multiple major news analyses and reporting as of 26 January 2026:
🧨 1. What’s Actually Happening — The Purge and Its Scope
Senior military figures, including General Zhang Youxia and General Liu Zhenli, are officially under investigation for “serious violations of party discipline and state laws.” These investigations are part of a long-running anti-corruption campaign that has now expanded to the very top of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
- Zhang Youxia — until recently the vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) and historically one of the PLA’s most powerful officers — is now being probed.
- Liu Zhenli, a CMC member and chief of staff of the Joint Staff Department, is also under investigation.
- With their removal, the CMC’s composition has been drastically reduced, reportedly to just Xi Jinping as CMC chairman and one lower-ranking member.
State-linked outlets emphasize corruption and political violations, portraying these as betrayals of the Party’s absolute leadership over the military.
— Note on allegations: Unverified reports in some outlets allege grave breaches — including bribery and even leaking nuclear secrets — but these claims are not independently verified and should be treated with caution.
🎯 2. Drivers Behind the Purge
📌 Political Control over the PLA
This purge represents a dramatic extension of Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign into the highest military echelons — even targeting old allies.
Key motivations appear to include:
- Eliminating rival power bases within the PLA and ensuring absolute personal and party loyalty.
- Reducing the autonomy of senior generals who historically had independent networks and operational influence.
- Reinforcing political rather than professional control of the military at a time of strategic competition with the U.S. and tensions over Taiwan.
📌 Institutional Vetting and “Loyalty First”
Analysts argue the purge increasingly prioritizes political reliability over professional competence — a shift that may sacrifice experienced leadership for loyalty.
⚠️ 3. Implications for Military Readiness & Command
🪖 Leadership Vacuum and Command Disruption
Removing senior figures in rapid succession has reportedly weakened the PLA’s senior command structure:
- The joint operational command system could be in a state of institutional “vacuum” until replacements are appointed.
- Disruption in the chain of command may temporarily impair decision-making, coordination, and readiness.
📉 Professional Military Capacity vs. Political Control
Prioritizing loyalty over merit could reduce:
- Effective planning for complex joint operations, including cybersecurity, aerospace, and amphibious operations.
- Incentives for professional officers to innovate or dissent, potentially lowering morale.
🇹🇼 4. Strategic Impact — Taiwan and Regional Stability
Taiwan’s government and analysts are monitoring the situation closely:
- Taipei views the rapid leadership upheaval as abnormal turbulence but does not see it as reducing China’s overall threat.
- Taiwan continues to emphasize vigilance and strengthens defensive cooperation with partners in response to persistent military provocations.
Some analysts believe that Xi’s deep mistrust of the PLA — reflected in this purge — could delay large-scale offensive actions in the short term because any military operation requires absolute confidence in loyal commanders.
🔍 5. What This Says About Xi Jinping’s Strategy
🧠 Consolidation of Power
Xi is signaling that no one — not even close allies with military credentials — is immune if perceived as a threat to party control.
🧭 Political Stability Over Military Assertiveness
This purge likely reflects Beijing’s strategic calculus that domestic political control must be unchallenged before taking bold external steps. It opens a window of greater domestic centralization but short-term military instability.
📆 Looking Toward 2027
With the 2027 Communist Party Congress on the horizon, Xi may be reshaping the PLA to ensure that the military leadership fully aligns with his strategic vision well beyond his current term.
🔎 Summary — Bottom Line
- This purge is the deepest rethink of military leadership in decades, not merely a regular anti-corruption sweep.
- It points to a fortified Party control over the PLA, but at a cost: disruption, a leadership vacuum, and weakened professional command coherence.
- In the short term, this likely dampens China’s readiness for major external military operations; in the long term, it may produce a more politically loyal — but potentially less operationally agile — military.
CN-01- China Agent
Three Corporate