China "cleaned out" its top general. A major shootout preceded this.
On August 28, Generals Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli were removed from their positions in China's Central Military Commission. Zhang Youxia was the Vice Chairman of the commission and was considered the second most influential person in the country's military leadership after Xi Jinping. He was also considered one of his closest allies, writes Reuters.
An investigation into both generals began in January. They are suspected of serious breaches of discipline and law. The resignation occurred amidst a wide-ranging anti-corruption campaign in the Chinese army, which Xi Jinping has been conducting for the past several years. Earlier, former defense ministers Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu, among others, fell under investigation.
The personnel changes also coincided with rumors of a possible military coup attempt in China. According to one version, on January 18, Zhang Youxia allegedly sent military personnel to a hotel in western Beijing to detain Xi Jinping. There, they were reportedly met by security personnel of the Chinese leader. Reports spoke of an armed clash, which might have resulted in the deaths of guards and military personnel. However, these reports have not been officially confirmed.
Zhang Youxia participated in the Sino-Vietnamese War of 1979. His father was a general and an associate of Xi Jinping's father, Xi Zhongxun. Zhang himself, like Xi, belongs to the so-called "princelings" — descendants of high-ranking figures in the Communist Party of China.
In 2012, Zhang headed the General Armaments Department of the People's Liberation Army of China, which is responsible for the procurement and development of weapons. In 2017, he became Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, and in 2022, he was re-appointed to this position, although he had already reached the age when one usually retires.
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