China places highest-ranking general under investigation

China’s defense ministry said it had launched an investigation against the country’s highest-ranking general for “serious disciplinary and law violations”.

The ministry did not provide further details about the accusations against General Zhang Youxia, widely seen as President Xi Jinping’s closest military ally. But in China, the accusation of abuse of power is often a euphemism for corruption.

The ministry said in its announcement that another senior officer, General Liu Zhenli, was also under investigation.

Removing them is as follows Expulsion of nine top generals in October – One of the biggest public crackdowns on the military in decades.

Zhang, 75, is vice chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), the Communist Party group headed by President Xi that controls the armed forces.

Zhang also sits on the 24-person Politburo, the party’s top decision-making body.

His father was one of the founding generals of the Chinese Communist Party.

Zhang joined the army in 1968 and is one of the few senior leaders with combat experience.

The fact that he has been retained beyond the customary retirement age for the Chinese military demonstrates President Xi’s confidence in him so far.

The announcement came just days after rumors emerged that Zhang and Liu might face an investigation for their absence from a high-profile party event in December.

Since coming to power, President Xi has launched anti-corruption campaigns through various departments, which has recently focused heavily on the military.

He has called corruption “the biggest threat” to the Communist Party and said the fight against it “remains grave and complex”.

Advocates say the policy promotes good governance, but others believe it is used as a tool to purge political rivals.

With the investigation into Zhang and Liu, the CMC’s seven members are now down to just two: President Xi and Zhang Shengmin, who is in charge of the military’s disciplinary affairs.