Zhang Yusha, China's 'No. 2 in the Military', Officially Stripped of Vice Chairman Post on State Central Military Commission

NPC Reshuffles Key Positions Ahead of Fifth Plenary Session of 20th Central Committee
Only Two Remain from Xi Jinping's Central Military Commission Leadership

Zhang Yusha, who was known as the "number two" in China's military and served as Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, has been officially dismissed. This comes seven months after his ousting in January this year.

According to Xinhua News Agency on August 28, China's National People's Congress (NPC), which serves as the country’s legislative body, stripped Zhang Yusha of his post as Vice Chairman of the State Central Military Commission at a Standing Committee meeting held on this day. Liu Zhenli, a member of the Central Military Commission who was ousted together with Zhang, also lost his position.

After their ousting in January, both individuals were widely viewed as having effectively ended their political careers. With this decision, an official personnel action at the state level has now taken place.

Zhang Yusha, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China (left), and Liu Zhenli, Chief of Staff of the Joint Staff Department and member of the Central Military Commission. Photo by EPA and Yonhap News Agency

China's top military leadership has repeatedly been shaken as President Xi Jinping pursues an anti-corruption campaign. Li Shangfu, former Minister of National Defense, fell from power in 2023, followed by Miao Hua, former Chief of the Political Work Department, in 2024, and He Weidong, former Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, who was removed last year. In January of this year, Zhang Yusha and Liu Zhenli were also ousted.

Some interpret the latest measures as an attempt to reorganize key personnel ahead of the fifth plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China scheduled for October.

Previously, ahead of the fourth plenary session of the 20th Central Committee last year, He Weidong was stripped of both his Party and military positions. Observers believe that additional disciplinary actions could follow for Zhang Yusha and Liu Zhenli as well.

The Central Military Commission in China is divided into the Party Central Military Commission and the State Central Military Commission. The NPC's decision on this day concerned the State Central Military Commission posts, meaning Zhang Yusha and Liu Zhenli still retain positions in the Party Central Military Commission and as members of the Party Central Committee. Any decisions on their Party positions will be made by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.

The NPC Standing Committee also dismissed Lu Zhuyuan, Minister of Civil Affairs, on this day and appointed Li Changguan, former vice minister, as his successor. In addition, it enacted the Medical Security Law and the Law on the Protection and Improvement of Cultivated Land Quality, and passed amendments to the Agriculture Law, National Defense Mobilization Law, and Lawyers Law.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.