China’s military leadership stood before the nation in March 2023, an image of unity behind Xi Jinping. After nearly a decade in power, Xi had installed the high command that he wanted: loyalists hand-picked to make the People’s Liberation Army a world-class force.

But not even Xi’s loyalists have been spared from his sweeping campaign to clean up the military — with purges that are ostensibly focused on corruption but are also about fealty to him. One by one, members of the Central Military Commission have been dismissed and put under investigation. The latest was General Zhang Youxia, Xi’s top general.

Xi has also removed dozens of other senior military officials in just under three years, a level of upheaval unmatched in modern Chinese history.

China had at least 30 generals and admirals at the start of 2023 who ran specialised departments and theatre commands.

Nearly all of them have been expelled or have disappeared during Xi Jinping’s sweeping purge. In some cases, Xi appointed new generals as replacements. But many of those have also vanished from public view.

Our review identified only seven generals who appear to remain in active roles.
The purges are a demonstration of Xi’s extraordinary power, but have also created a leadership vacuum across the military.

The fall of General Zhang and of another commander who was ousted with him, General Liu Zhenli, has stripped the Central Military Commission of the leaders who prepare the forces for battle. While a slew of less senior officers are also involved in practical planning for major military actions, the abrupt loss of the top two “operational” commanders could for a while undercut Xi’s confidence in the readiness of the People’s Liberation Army.

The sole remaining general in the commission is Zhang Shengmin, who has overseen Xi’s military purges and now appears responsible for maintaining political discipline and loyalty. General Zhang spent much of his career as an antigraft and political discipline inspection officer in the Rocket Force, which controls China’s nuclear and conventional missile programmes. Xi promoted him last year to a vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission.

The dismissals have also reached deep into nearly all the other wings of the armed forces. That includes the Rocket Force as well as the navy.

The five theatre commands — the regions that Xi created in 2016 to manage the armed forces — have also been eviscerated, including the Eastern Theatre Command, which is responsible for operations around Taiwan. Late last year, Xi appointed a new commander for the Eastern Theatre.

Much of the military command is vacant or new to the job

Since General Zhang’s downfall, the official newspaper of the Chinese military has urged officers and soldiers to support the decision and rally around Xi. It also acknowledged that the dismissals and disruption were causing "short-term hardships and pain".

Ultimately, the paper said, an even stronger Chinese military would emerge.

First, though, Xi must find another clutch of trustworthy generals he can trust as the 72-year-old leader sets his sights on a fourth term as China’s Communist Party secretary-general from 2027, which he will almost certainly get.

New York Times News Service