In January 2026, China announced the investigation of its highest-ranking uniformed officer, General Zhang Youxia, and another senior commander, General Liu Zhenli, for “serious violations of discipline and law.”
This marks the latest—and most dramatic—chapter in President Xi Jinping’s sweeping anti-corruption drive through the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).The roots of the crisis trace back to a 2024 US intelligence assessment that exposed shocking levels of graft in the PLA Rocket Force, the branch responsible for China’s nuclear deterrent and long-range missiles.
Corruption That Crippled Nuclear Readiness
According to Bloomberg’s January 2024 report citing US officials, corruption was so pervasive that:
- Some missiles were filled with water instead of propellant.
- Entire silo fields in western China (including Xinjiang) were fitted with faulty lids that would prevent missiles from launching effectively in a crisis.
- Broader issues included broken command systems and substandard equipment across the defense industrial base.
These revelations severely undermined confidence in the Rocket Force’s operational readiness. US assessments suggested the problems were serious enough to make Xi less likely to contemplate major military action (such as over Taiwan) in the near term, and they directly contributed to the earlier removal of the entire Rocket Force leadership in 2023–2024.
From Rocket Force to the Central Military Commission
The scandal quickly spread upward. Former Defence Minister Li Shangfu disappeared from public view and was removed in 2024. Now, in a stunning escalation, the purge has reached the very apex of the military hierarchy.Zhang Youxia — a vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission, longtime Xi confidant, and one of the last surviving “princelings” with deep revolutionary family ties — was until recently seen as untouchable. His sudden fall leaves the CMC effectively hollowed out: only Xi himself and the discipline overseer Zhang Shengmin remain from the original seven-member body appointed in 2022.Analysts note that nearly all top generals and admirals who held senior positions in early 2023 have now been removed or disappeared. The purges have hit the navy, equipment development departments, and theatre commands (including the Eastern Theatre Command facing Taiwan).What Does This Mean?
- Military readiness → Xi’s signature modernisation push toward a “world-class” force by 2027 has suffered repeated setbacks.
- Nuclear credibility → The exposure of such basic failures in the Rocket Force raises questions about the actual reliability of China’s growing nuclear arsenal.
- Political control → The purge reinforces Xi’s absolute authority but also highlights how deeply corruption had penetrated even the most trusted circles.
As one Western analyst put it, Xi appears determined to “squeeze out the water diluting combat effectiveness” — no matter how high up the chain the rot has spread.The dramatic fall of Zhang Youxia, once pictured standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Xi at promotion ceremonies, is a powerful signal: in today’s China, loyalty is no longer a shield against accountability when national security and the Party’s prestige are at stake.The story is still unfolding. But the message from Beijing is clear: the anti-corruption campaign inside the PLA is far from over.
