Zhang Youxia, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China, remarked that Xi's faction has been entirely apprehended. (Video screenshot)
[People News] Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli have finally faced significant repercussions. On September 21, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officially announced that Zhang Youxia, a member of the Central Political Bureau and Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, along with Liu Zhenli, a member of the Central Military Commission and former Chief of Staff of the Joint Staff Department, have been expelled from the CCP and the military. Their cases have been referred to military procuratorial authorities for legal review and potential prosecution.
The timeline of events has been striking: from being placed under investigation on January 24 of this year, to being removed from their positions in the Central Military Commission on August 28, and having their qualifications as National People's Congress representatives terminated, to now being expelled from the military and the Political Bureau's decision to expel them from the party and transfer their cases to military procuratorial authorities. The cases of Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli have reached a critical point after nearly eight months.
Overseas political commentator Li Yu has analyzed that, given the series of political, military, and judicial actions already undertaken by Beijing, Zhang Youxia's political career has effectively come to an end.
With the 'double expulsion' finalized, Zhang Youxia's political life is essentially concluded.
On January 24 of this year, the CCP officially announced that Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli were suspected of serious disciplinary and legal violations and were placed under investigation. On August 28, Zhang Youxia was removed from his role as Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, while Liu Zhenli was removed from his position as a member of the Central Military Commission. Their qualifications as National People's Congress representatives were also terminated on the same day.
The events of September 21 marked a significant advancement in the handling of the situation. Official reports reveal that the Central Military Commission had already decided to expel Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli from military service. On the same day, the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China reviewed and decided to expel both individuals from the Party, terminate their qualifications as representatives for the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, and refer their alleged criminal activities to military prosecution authorities for legal examination and prosecution.
Li Yu noted that the implications of their dismissal and the current actions taken are politically distinct.
"Dismissal merely entails losing a position, whereas expulsion from military service, the Political Bureau's decision to expel from the Party, and the referral of the case to military prosecution authorities signify that the political resolution regarding Zhang Youxia has largely been finalized. Until now, observers could speculate on how Beijing would define the Zhang Youxia case, but as of today, this major uncertainty has effectively vanished."
He asserts that, in terms of political reality, Zhang Youxia is no longer merely 'stepping down'; he has been entirely excluded from the military and political power structures of the Communist Party of China.
Military membership revoked, party membership pending recognition: Is there still uncertainty surrounding the Fifth Plenary Session?
Nonetheless, there remains one procedural step in the Zhang Youxia case. The official announcement clearly states, "Previously, the Central Military Commission decided to expel Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli from military membership." This means that both individuals have officially lost their military status. The situation regarding their party membership is different.
The Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China convened on September 21 and has already reviewed and decided to expel Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli from party membership, while also terminating their qualifications as representatives of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. However, according to the internal procedures of the Communist Party, the expulsion from party membership still requires formal recognition during the plenary session of the Central Committee. Therefore, the upcoming Central Committee plenary session will be a key procedural moment to watch in the Zhang Youxia case.
Li Yu analyzes that from the initiation of the investigation, the removal from the position of Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, the termination of their qualifications as representatives of the National People's Congress, to the current revocation of military membership, the decision by the Political Bureau to expel them from party membership, and the transfer of the case to military prosecution, several critical actions have already been taken in succession. Thus, "waiting for recognition" does not imply that Zhang Youxia still has a significant chance for a reversal.
"What is truly worth observing is not whether Zhang Youxia can still make a comeback. Given the current circumstances, the likelihood of him returning to the core of power is extremely low. What we should focus on is whether the final recognition procedure at the Central Committee plenary session will be completed entirely according to the established process. If there are delays, changes in wording, or other unusual procedural arrangements, that could signal new political developments."
Thus, from a procedural standpoint, Zhang Youxia's expulsion from the party still requires final confirmation from the Central Committee; however, in terms of political reality, his political career has effectively come to an end.
More significant than the vast corruption is the 'political issue'.
In the recent official announcement, alongside the substantial economic concerns, a series of highly politicized phrases have garnered considerable attention.
The official statement asserts that Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli 'have betrayed their original mission and purpose, becoming estranged from the party', 'seriously violated political discipline and rules', and accused the two of 'forming cliques' and being 'disloyal and dishonest to the party'.
Regarding economic matters, the authorities indicated that the two exploited their positions to assist others in job promotions, receiving large sums of money, and noted that the 'amount involved is particularly enormous'. Ultimately, the authorities classified the issues surrounding the two as 'intertwined political and economic problems'.
Li Yu argues that, in comparison to the massive corruption, the 'political issues' and terms like 'forming cliques' warrant greater attention.
He explains that within the context of the Chinese Communist Party's political discourse, phrases such as 'estranged from the party', 'forming cliques', and 'disloyal and dishonest to the party' are not merely descriptive of economic crimes but carry a strong political connotation.
'If it were simply a matter of accepting bribes, selling positions, or transferring benefits, the terminology for economic and job-related crimes would suffice. However, this time, Beijing has specifically emphasized the 'political issues' and directly mentioned 'forming cliques', which naturally prompts external inquiries: who exactly is included in this 'clique'? What kind of political or interest relationships have developed among them?'
Li Yu remarked that a vice chairman of the Central Military Commission has been officially accused of 'forming cliques' and 'being disloyal to the Party', indicating that his political significance is clearly much greater than that of typical economic corruption cases.
Zhang Youxia is not just any general: he has genuinely seen combat.
Zhang Youxia's distinctive military background is a key reason for the heightened public interest in this case.
Having enlisted in 1968, Zhang Youxia has spent a long time serving in field troops. He participated in the Sino-Vietnamese War in 1979 and later engaged in operations in the Laoshan direction, making him one of the few generals in the highest military leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) with real combat experience. Over the decades, he has held various positions, including commander of a group army, deputy commander of the Beijing Military Region, commander of the Shenyang Military Region, and minister of the General Equipment Department, ultimately joining the Central Military Commission and rising to the role of vice chairman. His father, Zhang Zongxun, was a founding general of the CPC. Consequently, Zhang Youxia embodies multiple identities, including being a 'red second generation', a combat general, a veteran of decades in the military, and vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, which grants him significant prestige within the armed forces.
Li Yu emphasized that the CPC has historically placed great importance on military power, and the phrase 'political power grows out of the barrel of a gun' is a particularly representative statement in the political history of the CPC. In contrast, while Xi Jinping, as chairman of the Central Military Commission, holds the highest leadership and command authority over the military within the CPC framework, he is not a career soldier and lacks battlefield command experience. 'Who does the entire military truly follow?' Many indicators can shed light on this question.
This is why, when such a figure is officially accused by Beijing of 'forming cliques' and 'being disloyal and dishonest to the Party', the political sensitivity surrounding the matter changes significantly. Viewed from this angle, the 'political issues' referenced in this announcement are at the heart of Xi Jinping's actions against Zhang Youxia.
Three hours after the official announcement of the visit to the U.S., the case of Zhang Youxia suddenly emerged.
Another noteworthy aspect of the Zhang Youxia case is the timing of the official announcement.
On September 21 at 3 PM, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Communist Party of China officially announced that, at the invitation of U.S. President Trump, Xi Jinping would undertake a state visit to the United States from September 23 to 25. Just about three hours later, at 6 PM that same day, Xinhua News Agency officially reported that Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli had been expelled from the Party and the military.
Before the Chinese side made its official announcement, the U.S. had already begun to disclose relevant arrangements for the visit.
This created a noteworthy timeline on September 21: Beijing first officially announced Xi Jinping's visit to the U.S., and about three hours later, it revealed the handling of a significant case that shook the highest echelons of the Chinese military; two days later, Xi Jinping was set to depart for the United States.
Whether there is a direct causal relationship between these two events remains unproven publicly. However, Li Yu believes that given Zhang Youxia's unique position, this timing is still worth monitoring.
Was the Zhang Youxia case 'resolved' before the visit to the U.S.?
Li Yu analyzes that from the perspective of political security and risk management within the upper echelons of the Communist Party, the actions taken on September 21 produced a very practical outcome: before Xi Jinping left China, the major political uncertainty surrounding the Zhang Youxia case was effectively eliminated.
Previously, although Zhang Youxia had already been investigated and removed from his role as Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, and his qualifications as a representative of the National People's Congress had also been revoked, Beijing had not yet disclosed the final disciplinary actions against him regarding Party and military regulations.
In other words, while Zhang Youxia has already lost his position, the political proceedings regarding this case have not yet been fully concluded.
Since September 21, the situation has changed significantly. His military membership has been officially revoked; the Politburo has decided to expel him from the Party; and the criminal allegations against him have been referred to the military procuratorate. Aside from the Party expulsion awaiting confirmation from the Central Committee, Zhang Youxia's key political and military identities have effectively been stripped away.
Li Yu noted that, from a political reality perspective, at this stage, Zhang Youxia has essentially been 'sealed off.'
'From this point forward, the question is no longer whether Zhang Youxia will make a comeback, but rather what criminal charges the military judicial system will bring against him and how he will ultimately be sentenced.'
He believes there is an important question to consider: Did Beijing choose to finalize this step before Xi Jinping's visit to the United States in order to mitigate political uncertainty at the highest levels of the military before the top leader departs?
This is particularly significant as Zhang Youxia is not just any fallen official; he was once the Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission and has decades of military and combat experience. Now, the authorities have publicly accused him of 'forming cliques,' 'being disloyal and dishonest to the Party,' and 'departing from the Party's principles.'
Li Yu pointed out that if such a major political case involving a former Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission remains unresolved while Xi Jinping is about to leave China for several days on a state visit, it could introduce more uncertainties from a political risk management perspective.
From another perspective, prior to Xi Jinping's departure, Zhang Youxia was officially expelled from the military, his party membership was revoked by the Politburo, and the case was transferred to the military judicial system, effectively completing the most crucial political action ahead of time.
"From this angle, it can be said that before Xi Jinping left Beijing, there was one less unresolved political case at the highest level of the military."
What stage has the internal power struggle within the Communist Party of China reached with the incident involving the Vice Chairman of the Military Commission?
The political ramifications of the Zhang Youxia case are significant, particularly due to his position.
As a member of the Politburo and Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, Zhang Youxia was not someone who had been retired for many years and was later investigated; instead, he was under investigation while still in office. In the political history of the Communist Party of China, the downfall of a sitting Vice Chairman of the Military Commission in such a manner is an extremely rare and significant political event.
During the 1971 "September 13 Incident," Lin Biao, who was then the Vice Chairman of the Central Committee and Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, died in a plane crash while attempting to flee, and was subsequently labeled by the Communist Party as the leader of an "anti-party group." More than half a century later, Zhang Youxia faced investigation while serving as Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission and was ultimately accused of "forming cliques," "being disloyal and dishonest to the Party," and "estranging from the Party," which has caused significant political repercussions.
Zhang Youxia was once regarded as a key ally of Xi Jinping within the military. Now, this Vice Chairman of the Military Commission, who was previously thought to have a close relationship with Xi Jinping and held substantial military credentials, has ultimately faced severe repercussions from Beijing due to the intertwining of "political and economic issues."
Li Yu believes that this change reflects something potentially more significant than Zhang Youxia's personal fate.
He noted that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has repeatedly stressed that Zhang Youxia is "disloyal and dishonest to the Party," "alienated from the Party," and "engaging in cliques." In a political environment where the CCP places great emphasis on the "two safeguards" and the accountability of the Chairman of the Central Military Commission, the political implications of these phrases are significant.
"The official statement did not directly accuse Zhang Youxia of 'rebellion.' However, labeling a Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission as 'engaging in cliques' and 'disloyal' clearly suggests that the underlying issue is no longer merely a typical corruption problem, but rather involves political rebellion."
Li Yu analyzed that if one of the core issues leading to Zhang Youxia's downfall indeed relates to Xi Jinping's doubts about his political loyalty, it highlights a deep-seated contradiction within the CCP's highest power structure: when political loyalty is prioritized to such an extent, any official may become a potential risk due to a breakdown in political trust.
Now that a figure like Zhang Youxia has ultimately been ousted for being "disloyal and dishonest" and for "engaging in cliques," how fragile has political trust within the CCP's top leadership become?
"A power system that heavily relies on personal loyalty faces an unavoidable dilemma: while removing someone perceived as disloyal may temporarily mitigate immediate threats, ongoing purges could also heighten feelings of insecurity among others at the core of power."
Li Yu pointed out that thus, whether Zhang Youxia's removal indicates a further consolidation of Xi Jinping's control over the military can only be understood from one angle; another aspect to observe is whether the continuous high-level purges will further intensify distrust between the military and the CCP's top leadership.
The key question for external observers is how long Xi Jinping's ongoing strategy of purging and reorganizing power can last, and whether it will eventually intensify internal conflicts, potentially resulting in a fracture or collapse within the upper ranks of the Communist Party of China.
(First published by the People News)
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