Overview
- China’s defense ministry said on January 24 that CMC vice chairman Zhang Youxia and Joint Staff chief Liu Zhenli are under investigation for suspected serious violations of discipline and law.
- PLA Daily and People’s Daily editorials called the probes a cleansing of corruption that has diluted combat effectiveness and urged officers to unify their actions with Xi’s leadership.
- State media said the effort will remove obstacles to building a stronger force, describing the investigations as part of broader political rectification inside the military.
- Reporting that cites U.S. intelligence has alleged faulty silo lids and missiles filled with water in the Rocket Force, claims that remain publicly unverified but are widely linked by outlets to the leadership shake-up.
- Analysts say the campaign tightens Xi’s control but could strain near-term readiness, and President Trump told reporters he is not concerned about China’s stability.