China’s Military Purge Intensifies as Probe Traces Officers’ Ties to Ex-Gen. Zhang Youxia

A retroactive hunt for political ties is sweeping through China’s military, insiders said, raising new doubts about readiness and command stability.

Deputies from the Chinese military arrive at the second plenary session of the rubber-stamp National People's Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on March 8, 2025. Kevin Frayer/Getty Images

A sweeping political purge within the Chinese military is reaching far beyond the top ranks, as investigators are examining the past 12 years to identify officers connected to former Central Military Commission (CMC) Vice Chairman Zhang Youxia, according to military insiders.

Several People’s Liberation Army (PLA) insiders recently told The Epoch Times that the campaign has already spread across all five theater commands and multiple service branches, involving hundreds of mid-ranking officers and disrupting the military’s command structure.