Xi Jinping ordered the opening of an investigation against the most senior general in the Chinese army

Zhang, who also serves as a member of the prestigious Politburo, was until recently considered a close ally of Xi. Both are defined as “princes”, descendants of revolutionary leaders: Zhang’s father fought alongside Xi’s father in the Chinese Civil War, a fact that strengthened the bond between the two in the past.

The current move comes after the party announced in October the removal of nine senior commanders on charges of corruption, including the general who was number two in the army at the time. Analysts point out that the pace and extent of turnover in the military leadership is unprecedented in the post-Mao era. The effect of the purges is particularly evident in the Central Military Committee: out of seven members who began their term in 2022, only two active members now remain, Xi himself as chairman, and another vice chairman.

If Zhang is formally ousted, he would be the most senior active-duty officer dismissed by Xi, and the most senior in the Chinese command structure to be ousted since the Tien Anmen Square events in 1989. Since coming to power in 2012, Xi has been using these purges to consolidate his control and promote a modern military capable of taking on Western armies and taking control of Taiwan. However, an assessment by the Pentagon holds that the anti-corruption investigations may harm the military’s operational efficiency in the short term, even if they are intended for long-term improvement.

The purges have recently focused on military procurement, an area considered sensitive to corruption. Zhang previously headed the equipment development department, and many of those dismissed were close to him and engaged in procurement. According to official figures, more than 50 senior and senior officers in the defense industry have been removed or investigated in the past two and a half years. Xi’s disciplinary campaign goes beyond the army: in the past year, the party authorities punished about 983 thousand people, an increase of 10.6% compared to 2024.