- Top Chinese military officials Zhang Youxia, Liu Zhenli removed from command.
- Crackdown due to alleged discipline violations and serious corruption issues.
- Part of President Xi Jinping's ongoing anti-corruption drive in PLA.
China on Friday took strict action against two top military officials, Zhang Youxia and senior General Liu Zhenli, over alleged violations of discipline and law. Both senior military officers were removed from China's supreme military command body, the state Central Military Commission. The crackdown came after an investigation over suspected serious violations of discipline. The development is seen as a fresh spell of anti-corruption crackdown.
Earlier in January this year, PLA Daily, the mouthpiece of the Chinese military, had accused top military officials Zhang and Liu of threatening the Communist Party's absolute leadership over the armed forces as one of the reasons why they were placed under investigation.
Military Officials Fuelled Corruption Issues
They have severely fuelled political and corruption problems that threaten the Communist Party's absolute leadership over the armed forces and undermine the party's governance foundation, an editorial in People's Daily said.
The two senior Chinese military officials were placed under investigation for serious violations of the ruling Communist Party's discipline and laws, the Defence Ministry.
The charge of threatening the party's absolute leadership is regarded as 'very serious' as the Chinese military functions under the command of the Communist Party of China (CPC), which exercises absolute control of the armed forces. Ever since he took over the leadership in 2012, President Xi Jinping, 72, who also heads the party, the military, besides the Presidency, has been emphasising that it is imperative for the military to function under the party leadership. The party holds the gun, he has been persistently reminding the military generals.
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Observers say the emphasis of party loyalty also means endorsing his absolute leadership as he has been declared as the core leader of the party and action against Zhang 75, came as Xi may regard the top general undermining his leadership.
Unlike the other generals, Zhang is the first-ranking Vice Chairman of the powerful Central Military Commission (CMC), the overall high command of the Chinese military headed by Xi. Zhang's position on the CMC makes him the highest-ranking uniformed officer in the Chinese military.
Action Against Military Official Who Headed The Galwan Conflict
A few days ago, Zhao Zongqi, a former commander of the Western Theatre Command, underwent a similar crackdown by the military leadership. Zhao, who led the 2020 China-India border conflicts, was removed from China’s top political advisory body. He was stripped of membership in the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). According to media reports, Zhao had been in the military leadership role during the 2017 Doklam standoff and the 2020 Galwan Valley conflict. The action by the Chinese President, who is likely to visit India next month, brought the Galwan conflict focus.
(With Agencies Inputs)
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