Xi Jinping Purges Top General Zhang Youxia: What It Means for China's Military

• General Zhang Youxia, a close ally of President Xi Jinping and Vice-Chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), is under investigation for "serious violations of discipline and law."
• Another senior officer, General Liu Zhenli, Chief of the CMC’s Joint Staff Department, is also being investigated, leaving the CMC with only two members including Xi Jinping.
• This purge is considered one of the most significant upheavals in China’s military leadership since the Cultural Revolution, signaling Xi's unprecedented consolidation of power.
• The allegations, framed as part of Xi's anti-corruption campaign, hint at corruption in procurement and undermining the "chairman responsibility system" within the PLA.
• Analysts suggest the move prioritizes personal and party loyalty, eliminates potential rivals, and reinforces the Communist Party's absolute control over the armed forces, potentially impacting military reform and regional assertiveness.

Why It Matters: Xi Jinping's purge of top general Zhang Youxia signals an unprecedented power consolidation within China's military.