The Chinese Government confirmed the opening of an investigation into General Zhang Youxia, one of the highest-ranking military officers in the country and for years considered the closest ally of President Xi Jinping within the Armed Forces.
The Ministry of Defense reported that Zhang is being investigated for "serious violations of discipline and law," a common formula in China that usually conceals corruption charges, without offering additional details about the case.
The investigation also affects General Liu Zhenli, another senior officer of the People's Liberation Army, and comes weeks after the expulsion of nine generals in October, one of the largest military purges in recent decades.
Zhang Youxia ha sido puesto bajo investigación, siendo uno de los hombres más cercanos a Xi Jinping
The succession of dismissals has drastically reduced the leadership of the Central Military Commission (CMC), the highest body overseeing the armed forces, which has gone from seven members to only two: Xi Jinping himself, as president, and Zhang Shengmin, who is responsible for disciplinary affairs.
Zhang Youxia, 75 years old, occupies a prominent place in the recent history of the Chinese Communist Party. Vice president of the CMC and member of the Politburo, the country's main decision-making body, he came from a revolutionary family (his father was one of the party's founding generals) and was one of the few military leaders with real combat experience.
His remaining in office beyond the usual retirement age had been interpreted as a sign of the personal trust that Xi placed in him.
The investigation comes after weeks of rumors, fueled by the absence of Zhang and Liu from an important Communist Party event held in December, a sign that in the Chinese political system usually foreshadows a fall from grace. The official confirmation has reinforced doubts about the stability of the president's closest circle.
La investigación también afecta al general Liu Zhenli
The Chinese leader has described corruption as "the greatest threat" to the Communist Party and has insisted that the fight against it remains "serious and complex." Nevertheless, critics inside and outside China maintain that these campaigns have also served to eliminate political rivals and consolidate the president's personal power.
The investigation into Zhang, precisely one of the men considered most loyal to Xi, raises questions about the scope and consequences of this strategy.
Analysts warn that constant purges may weaken the internal cohesion of the Army, erode trust among senior commanders, and generate a climate of fear that affects decision-making. In a context of growing regional tensions, the loss of veteran figures could have implications for the stability and effectiveness of China's armed forces.
Xi JInping acumula cada vez más poder individual luego de la purga de 9 generales el pasado octubre
At the political level, the concentration of power around Xi Jinping also entails risks. By reducing checks and balances and surrounding himself with an ever smaller number of key figures, the communist leader directly assumes responsibility for any future crisis, whether economic, social, or military.
What the Government presents as a demonstration of control and discipline could, according to some observers, become a vulnerability factor for Xi's leadership and for the internal balance of the Chinese regime.
