"Obey Xi Jinping's Command"... Chinese Military Stresses Loyalty After Purge of Senior Officials

16 Generals, Including Zhang Youxia, Expelled from the Party

Only Two Members Remain on Central Military Commission, Leaving Xi in Sole Command

Following the finalization of a sweeping purge of 16 senior Chinese military officials, the Chinese military’s official newspaper has continued to emphasize loyalty to Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a speech at a reception marking the 77th anniversary of National Day at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on the afternoon of September 30. Yonhap News.

On the 1st, the People’s Liberation Army Daily reported on the atmosphere among military personnel across the armed forces as they studied the spirit of the Fifth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (the Fifth Plenum of the 20th Central Committee). It described the disciplinary action against former Central Military Commission Vice Chairman Zhang Youxia and former Chief of Staff of the CMC Joint Staff Department Liu Zhenli as a major victory in the fight against corruption.

At the Fifth Plenum of the 20th Central Committee, held from October 26 to 29, the Communist Party of China finalized the decision to expel 16 senior military officials, including Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli, from the Party. The two men were removed from their posts in January this year and expelled from the Party and the military in September.

Under Xi’s anti-corruption campaign, a succession of top-level Chinese military officials have fallen from power. The purge has included former Defense Minister Li Shangfu in 2023, former Director of the CMC Political Work Department Miao Hua in 2024, former CMC Vice Chairman He Weidong last year, and Zhang Youxia this year.

As a result, only two members remain on the Central Military Commission, which originally had seven: Xi and Vice Chairman Zhang Shengmin. This has effectively left Xi in sole command.

In a commentary on October 30, the People’s Liberation Army Daily stressed that military personnel “must resolutely obey the command of the Party Central Committee, the Central Military Commission, and President Xi.” The following day, it said the decision to expel the 16 senior military officials from the Party had “caused a strong reaction among units across the armed forces,” adding that military personnel firmly supported the Party Central Committee’s decision.

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