language in China typically refers to corruption-related offences.
General Zhang, 75, is widely regarded as President Xi Jinping’s closest military ally. He is a member of the Communist Party’s 24-person Politburo and one of only a few senior Chinese military leaders with direct combat experience. He joined the People’s Liberation Army in 1968 and was retained beyond the customary retirement age, a move previously seen as a sign of President Xi’s confidence in him.
Zhang is the son of one of the founding generals of the Chinese Communist Party and has played a central role in military leadership under Xi.
The investigation follows the expulsion of nine senior generals in October, marking one of the most extensive public crackdowns on China’s military in decades. It also comes days after speculation arose over Zhang and Liu’s absence from a high-level Communist Party meeting in December.
President Xi has made anti-corruption a cornerstone of his leadership since assuming power, describing corruption as “the biggest threat” to the Communist Party and warning that the struggle against it remains “grave and complex.” While supporters say the campaign strengthens governance, critics argue it has also been used to sideline political rivals.
With the probe into Zhang and Liu, the Central Military Commission has been reduced from its original seven members to just two, President Xi, who serves as chairman, and Zhang Shengmin, who oversees military disciplinary affairs.
