China’s Military Newspaper Urges Loyalty After Purge, Fueling Questions of PLA Stability

A renewed attack on two purged generals and calls for loyalty to Xi Jinping suggest unease inside the Chinese military after a rare top-level shake-up.

Military delegates walk in a line as they arrive at the opening session of the National Peoples Congress, or NPC, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, on March 5, 2025. Kevin Frayer/Getty Images

China’s official military newspaper has renewed its public attack on two recently purged top generals, urging troops to support their investigation and to pledge loyalty to Chinese leader Xi Jinping—a move that analysts say underscores growing unease within the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

In a front-page editorial published on Jan. 31, the PLA Daily described the investigation of former Central Military Commission (CMC) Vice Chairman Zhang Youxia and CMC member Liu Zhenli as a “major victory” in the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) anti-corruption campaign. The article calls on officers and soldiers across the military to “resolutely support” the Party leadership and “maintain a high degree of consistency” with Xi.