Politics & Governance
China removes two top officers from military commission
China has removed Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli from the state Central Military Commission, the country's main military decision-making body, state news agency Xinhua reported on Friday.
Xinhua said the standing committee of China's parliament decided to remove Zhang from his post as vice chairman of the Central Military Commission of the People's Republic of China. Zhang had been the more senior of the commission's two vice chairmen, making him China's highest-ranked general.
Xinhua also said Liu, who was chief of staff of the commission's joint staff department, had been removed. The department oversees combat planning.
The removals came seven months after China's defence ministry said Zhang and Liu were suspected of "serious violations of discipline and the law", a phrase commonly used in corruption cases. No details have been given about the accusations, and their whereabouts are unknown.
The Central Military Commission is chaired by President Xi Jinping. Friday's announcement concerned Zhang and Liu's positions in the state commission rather than the Communist Party commission. Their removal leaves the body, which is supposed to have seven members, with only two known representatives: Xi and anti-corruption chief Zhang Shengmin.
The case came during the anti-graft campaign that has marked Xi's time in power. Zhang's fall drew particular attention because of his seniority and the perception that he was close to Xi.
Update
Their removal leaves the Central Military Commission with only two known representatives: Xi Jinping and anti-corruption chief Zhang Shengmin.
Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli's whereabouts are unknown.
No details have been given about the accusations against them.
Friday's announcement concerned their state Central Military Commission posts rather than their Communist Party commission positions.
Source note: AFP news report published on 28 August 2026 at 12:31:56 UTC.
Update
Zhang had been the more senior of two vice chairmen of the Central Military Commission, making him China's highest-ranked general.
China's defence ministry said in January that Zhang and Liu Zhenli were suspected of serious violations of discipline and the law.
Liu Zhenli had been chief of staff of the commission's joint staff department, which oversees combat planning.
The case came during President Xi Jinping's anti-graft campaign.
Source note: AFP news report published on 28 August 2026 at 11:49:26 UTC.
Update
State news agency Xinhua said the standing committee of China's parliament decided to remove Zhang Youxia as vice chairman of the Central Military Commission of the People's Republic of China.
Xinhua said Liu Zhenli, another senior military official investigated at the same time as Zhang, was also removed.
The removal came seven months after Zhang was announced to be under investigation for "serious violations of the law".
Source note: AFP news report published on 28 August 2026 at 11:22:30 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
No details have been given about the accusations against Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli.
Their whereabouts are unknown.
Source
AFP news report published on .