Xi Jinping Continues Purge of Military Elite: Two Generals Removed From Their Posts

China has removed two high-ranking generals from its highest military command body—the Central Military Commission—including the second-highest-ranking military official after Xi Jinping.

The Xinhua News Agency reported on the removal of the military officials.

According to Reuters, the removals followed investigations conducted as part of an anti-corruption campaign, one of the main targets of which was the military. During the purge, dozens of high-ranking officials and generals came under investigation, lost their posts, or were removed.

The Central Military Commission of the PRC is China’s highest state body of military command, responsible for directing all of the country’s armed forces.

It determines military strategy, exercises unified command over the People’s Liberation Army and the People’s Armed Police, approves the structure of the armed forces, and oversees combat training, mobilization, weapons development, and personnel appointments.

The Central Military Commission consists of a chairman, his deputies, and members of the commission. Formally, supreme command of the armed forces is exercised by the chairman of the Central Military Commission—Xi Jinping.

The Council has specialized bodies under its authority, including the Joint Staff, which is responsible for operational planning, combat command support, combat capability assessment, joint training, and troop readiness.

It was decided to remove Zhang Yuxia and Liu Zhenli. Zhang Yuxia served as vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, was a member of the Politburo Standing Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, and was the highest-ranking career military officer in the Chinese hierarchy after Xi Jinping. He was considered one of the key figures in the modernization of the Chinese armed forces and had long been a close military ally of Xi.

Liu Zhenli was a member of the Central Military Commission and Chief of the Joint Staff Department of the Central Military Commission. In 1986–1987, he participated in combat operations along the Sino-Vietnamese border. He later served as Commander of the PLA Ground Forces and, since 2022, has been Chief of the Joint Staff Department.

Following the removal of these generals, the Central Military Commission—which previously consisted of seven members—now has only two active members remaining: Xi Jinping and Zhang Shengmin.

In early July, Chinese President Xi Jinping outlined his vision for China’s future, which calls for strengthening military power, expanding international influence, and shaping a new architecture of the world order.

The Chinese leader once again called for the creation of a “new type of international relations” and the promotion of the concept of a “community with a shared future for mankind.” Military strength was a central element of the speech. The Chinese leader directly linked the country’s future to the development of its military.

The harshest part of the speech concerned the island of Taiwan. Xi Jinping reaffirmed the One China policy and promised to continue fighting against any attempts to declare the island’s independence.