China removes high-ranking officers Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli from key military body
China removed two high-ranking officers from the country’s main military body on Friday, state media reported, seven months after it was announced that Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli were being investigated for “serious violations of the law”. Zhang’s position as the more senior of two vice chairmen on the Central Military Commission (CMC) had made […]
China has removed two high-ranking officers, Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli, from the country's main military body, the Central Military Commission (CMC), on Friday, according to state media reports. The announcement came seven months after their investigation began for "serious violations of the law". Zhang Youxia, who served as the vice chairperson of the CMC, held the highest ranking among the two vice chairmen.
His seniority had previously positioned him as China's highest-ranked general. However, in January, the defence ministry accused Zhang and Liu of "serious violations of discipline and the law", a phrase typically used to denote corruption. This move aligns with President Xi Jinping's ongoing anti-corruption campaign, which has been a defining characteristic of his presidency.
The Central Military Commission is the most significant military decision-making body in China, with Xi serving as its chairman. The removal of Zhang and Liu leaves the CMC with only two known members, Xi and anti-corruption chief Zhang Shengmin. The whereabouts of Zhang and Liu are currently unknown, and no further details about the accusations against them have been provided.
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