China dismisses Top Army General on corruption charges, raising fears of turmoil inside PLA

China has abruptly dismissed one of its most senior military generals on corruption charges, sparking rumours of internal turmoil, leadership vacuum and fresh questions over Beijing’s combat readiness.

BBC Urdu – MediaBites – January 27, 2026

China has abruptly dismissed one of its most senior military leaders in a move that has sent shockwaves through the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), triggering speculation about internal power struggles, institutional instability, and the true state of Beijing’s war readiness.

General Zhang Youxia, 75, until recently the vice chairman of China’s powerful Central Military Commission (CMC), has been removed from his post along with another senior officer, General Liu Zhenli, according to official announcements. Both are now under investigation for what authorities describe as “serious violations of discipline and law” — language widely understood in China to mean corruption.

The dismissals leave the Central Military Commission — the body that commands millions of Chinese troops — in an unprecedented state. Of its usual seven members, only President Xi Jinping, who chairs the commission, and one other general reportedly remain. Analysts say such a concentration of authority has no modern precedent in China’s military history.

“This is extraordinary,” said Lyle Morris of the Asia Society Policy Institute. “The PLA is clearly in a state of upheaval. There is now a leadership vacuum at the very top.”

Rumors of Dissent, Silence from Beijing

The sudden purge has fueled intense speculation, both inside and outside China. Rumors range from factional infighting and intelligence breaches to whispers of attempted defiance within the ranks — claims that cannot be independently verified due to Beijing’s strict control over information.

What is clear, analysts say, is that the move reflects growing tension and mistrust inside China’s military establishment, even as Beijing projects strength abroad.

Chinese state media has framed the purge as part of President Xi’s long-running “zero-tolerance” anti-corruption campaign, insisting the dismissals demonstrate the Communist Party’s resolve to maintain discipline within the armed forces. An editorial in the PLA Daily accused the removed generals of betraying the trust of the party and weakening the military command structure.

No evidence has been publicly released, and detailed charges are unlikely ever to be disclosed.

Power, Loyalty and Fear

Critics argue that while corruption exists in China’s military, anti-graft campaigns have also served as a powerful tool to eliminate rivals and enforce absolute loyalty. Since coming to power, Xi Jinping has consolidated control to a degree unseen since Mao Zedong, with the military firmly under his personal authority.

Yet such concentration of power carries risks.

“An atmosphere of fear can paralyze decision-making,” one regional security analyst said. “Senior officers may become more focused on political survival than operational readiness.”

Zhang’s removal is particularly striking. He was considered a close ally of Xi and one of the few senior PLA officers with actual combat experience. His father was a revolutionary comrade of Xi’s father — a connection once thought to guarantee political safety.

That assumption has now been shattered.

Strategic Timing Raises Alarm

The purge comes at a sensitive moment, as China escalates pressure on Taiwan, conducts aggressive military drills, and signals readiness for potential conflict in the Indo-Pacific. While some experts believe the dismissals will not alter Beijing’s strategic ambitions, others warn that instability within the PLA could complicate command cohesion during a crisis.

“Operational plans will still reflect Xi’s priorities,” said Chong Ja Ian of the National University of Singapore. “But these events will have consequences for morale, trust, and long-term military effectiveness.”

A Military in Transition — or Crisis?

For now, Beijing’s message is unmistakable: no one is untouchable. But the cost of such purges may extend beyond individual careers.

As China tightens control at home while projecting power abroad, the sudden fall of its top generals raises an unsettling question:
Is the world witnessing a disciplined crackdown on corruption — or the early signs of deep fractures inside one of the world’s most powerful militaries?

The answer, like so much else in China’s political system, remains locked behind silence.