The campaign has not been limited to the top of the CMC. Numerous high-ranking officials from the Navy, Air Force, and Rocket Force have also been investigated or removed. For critics of the regime, this succession of purges demonstrates to what extent Xi has prioritized political loyalty over military experience and has turned the defense apparatus into another instrument of personal control.
On July 3, Xi promoted Zhang Shuguang and Wang Gang to the rank of general. Zhang Shuguang was then heading the CMC's Disciplinary Inspection Commission, while Wang was the commander of the Air Force. The ceremony was presided over by Zhang Shengmin.
Sources consider Zhang Shuguang's promotion particularly significant, as it could indicate a greater reliance on discipline and inspection mechanisms to control the armed forces. Instead of quickly rebuilding a command structure based on operational experience, Xi appears to be reinforcing the bodies responsible for investigating and monitoring officers.
Xi Jinping promoted Zhang Shuguang, which may be an indication that the dictator seeks greater control over the armed forces
Another sign of tension would be the absence of publicly announced successors for Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli. Several key positions within the CMC and the joint command system remain vacant, increasing uncertainty about who truly has the authority to make certain decisions.
The situation may have also weakened traditional internal consultation mechanisms. A retired general identified as Ji noted that, in the past, the CMC used to inform former high-ranking officials about important events to gain their support and experience. Following the investigation against Zhang, that procedure is said to have ceased.
According to Ji, Xi is increasingly avoiding traditional coordination channels with veterans and instead relying on the disciplinary inspection system to control the military. This strategy, far from conveying stability, could be increasing concern among active officers.
The picture described by these sources presents the Chinese armed forces under considerable political pressure. The concentration of power in Xi Jinping's hands has allowed the CCP leader to eliminate numerous officials deemed disloyal, but the purges could also be generating an opposite effect to what was intended: an army with less autonomy, greater fear of taking responsibility, and a military leadership weakened by uncertainty.
The command structure of the Central Military Commission (CMC) of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is undergoing a deep crisis after Chinese leader Xi Jinpingintensified the purge of high-ranking military officials. The investigation against two of the country's most influential generals is believed to have created a power vacuum, distrust among officers, and fear of taking responsibility for strategic decisions.
According to sources linked to the People's Liberation Army (PLA), for more than six months some official documents have reportedly been issued without the signature of any responsible party. This situation would reflect, according to these sources, the level of uncertainty within the highest military structure in China following the disappearance of two of its main figures: Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli.
The Chinese Ministry of Defense announced on January 24 that both were being investigated for alleged serious violations of Party discipline and state laws. Zhang was the vice chairman of the CMC, the highest military leadership body of the regime, while Liu held a key position as head of the Joint Staff Department.
Xi Jinping continues with the purge of his military leaders and plunges China into a deep crisis
The investigations, according to a source identified by the pseudonym Tang Jiezhong for fear of reprisals, are said to have concluded about two months ago. However, the authorities have not yet published their results and both generals continue to formally hold their positions, despite having disappeared from the public scene since January.
This situation has fueled speculation about a growing internal resistance to Xi's purges. Zhang, in particular, was considered a figure with great authority within the PLA due to his military experience. He was one of the few high-ranking generals with direct combat experience, gained during the China-Vietnam War of 1979.
According to the cited sources, Zhang and Liu had developed influence relationships within combat units, theater commands, and the different branches of the Armed Forces over decades. Their simultaneous dismissal would have caused uncertainty among the officers responsible for executing the CMC's orders.
Tang stated that some commanders are now reluctant to sign important documents for fear that they may later be held accountable for decisions that could be questioned by the party leadership. The problem, according to his description, is not the lack of capable officers to fill command positions, but their fear of making decisions in a system increasingly dominated by political purges.
Zhang Youxia, who had a strong influence in the Chinese armed forces, continues to formally hold his position but has not appeared in public for months
The crisis also reflects the extent of Xi's campaign against high-ranking military officials deemed potentially disloyal. Since the 2022 National Congress of the CCP, Xi has reportedly purged five of the seven members of the current CMC. In practice, only Xi and Zhang Shengmin remained from that structure, although Zhang Shengmin was later promoted to vice chairman of the commission in October 2025.
