Central Military Commission vice chair Zhang Youxia was an experienced military leader, and experts viewed him as a voice of caution within China’s military establishment. His successor may not be.

During the decade-long Cultural Revolution, Chinese leader Mao Zedong purged many high-ranking generals and military leaders, both to eliminate potential political rivals and to ensure loyalty to the revolutionary ideology. The recent removal of several officials who have served under Chinese President Xi Jinping is now evoking memories of Mao’s purges.

Xi’s ongoing “anti-corruption” campaign recently ensnared Zhang Youxia, the Chinese military’s top general and vice chair of the powerful Central Military Commission, who is now being investigated for corruption and leaking nuclear secrets to the United States. The 75-year-old first joined the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in 1968, serving in the ground forces; he is one of the few PLA military leaders with genuine combat experience, having fought in China’s brief but ill-fated war with Vietnam in 1979.

The PLA’s Culture of Corruption

According to multiple reports, an investigation into China’s highest-ranking general was opened due to concerns of “grave violations of discipline and the law.”

It is unclear precisely what is meant by violations, but as the BBC explained, in China, such an accusation of wrongdoing “is usually a euphemism for corruption.”

Since Xi came to power in 2012, more than 200,000 Chinese officials have been punished in a still-ongoing anti-corruption campaign. Last year, Xi warned that corruption remains the “biggest threat” to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)—even as that corruption largely stems from China’s one-party system, which provides weak checks on Party officials’ power.

In addition, China’s rapid market transition has created untold opportunities for graft, with officials exploiting their power for personal gain. That has included the hiding of assets offshore.

It remains rare for an official as high-ranking as Zhang, whose father was one of the founding generals of the CCP and is widely seen as Xi’s closest military ally, to be under such a corruption-related suspension. That has led to speculation that there is more to his demise than offshore bank accounts.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Zhang was also accused of leaking state secrets to the United States, specifically China’s nuclear weapons program. He allegedly also accepted bribes, including for promoting a military officer to the defense minister.

Zhang’s apparent downfall follows that of He Weidong, another vice chair of the Central Military Commission. In total, nine generals have been removed from their posts in recent years—one of the most extensive purges within the Chinese military in decades.

What Does the PLA Purge Mean For Taiwan?

The removal of officials such as Zhang has now raised questions about the state of China’s military and how it might address the long-standing question of Taiwan.

As NBC News also reported, Zhang had been seen as “untouchable”—but that clearly no longer seems to be the case. His absence could leave a leadership void at the Central Military Commission, which has now been hollowed out. It could also mean that a voice of reason to Xi has been removed in the process.

“Removing generals like Zhang means that there will not be any general who would dare to advise Xi against a military adventure when the time comes, and this increases the risk of a miscalculation,” Steve Tsang, the director of the China Institute at SOAS University of London, told NBC News in an email.

Xi has been vocal about his goal of seeing Taiwan returned to mainland control. Still, this doesn’t mean that the purging of Zhang is a portent of an impending invasion. The balloon hasn’t gone up yet.

“Xi will not order an invasion unless he is certain of victory, but no general will now dare to advise caution if Xi asks: ‘Is the PLA now ready to liberate Taiwan for the greater glory of China?'” Tsang continued—speculating that the world was “less safe” as a result of Zhang’s downfall.

About the Author: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org.

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