Zhang Youxia, the second-highest ranking official in the Chinese military, has officially lost his position as vice chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC).
According to China's state-run Xinhua News Agency, the National People's Congress (NPC) decided on August 28 to revoke Zhang's title during a meeting of its Standing Committee. Liu Zhenli, a member of the CMC who also fell from grace, was stripped of his position on the same day.
Following President Xi Jinping's anti-corruption campaign, a series of high-level dismissals have occurred within the military leadership. Former Defense Minister Li Shangfu was removed in 2023, followed by Miao Hua, the former head of the CMC's Political Work Department, in 2024, and He Weidong, the former vice chairman of the CMC, in 2025.
In January of this year, both Zhang Youxia, who was considered the 'number two' in the military hierarchy, and Liu Zhenli, the former chief of staff of the Joint Staff Department, stepped down.
The CMC is composed of one chairman, two vice chairmen, and four members, totaling seven officials. Currently, only Xi and General Zhang Shengmin, one of the vice chairmen, remain in their positions.
While Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli had already lost their political standing, the NPC's decision formally removes them from their roles within the national CMC. Analysts suggest that this move may be part of a broader personnel reshuffle ahead of the upcoming Fifth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, scheduled for October.
In fact, prior to last year's Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee, He Weidong was stripped of both his party and military affiliations. There are speculations that Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli may face similar actions regarding their party and military statuses in the future.
However, the NPC's decision only pertains to their national CMC positions. The CMC operates separately as the national CMC and the CMC of the Communist Party of China, meaning that Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli still hold their positions within the party's CMC.
Their party committee memberships also remain intact, as such decisions are made by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.
During the same NPC Standing Committee meeting, other personnel changes and legislative measures were addressed. Lu Zhiyuan, who served as Minister of Civil Affairs, was removed from his position, and Li Changguan, the former deputy minister, was appointed as his successor. Lu had been appointed as Minister of Civil Affairs following the fall of Xu Liuping, the former secretary of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions, who was under investigation.
The NPC also enacted the Medical Security Law and the Law on Agricultural Protection and Quality Improvement, while passing amendments to the Agricultural Law, National Defense Mobilization Law, and Lawyer Law.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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