Photo: EPA-EFEThe Chinese Ministry of Defense made the announcement yesterday, but did not mention details of the alleged wrongdoing. The purging of Zhang and Li is believed to be part of efforts to reform the military and ensure its loyalty to Xi. Meanwhile, the security official said Zhang’s and Liu’s removal would disrupt the chain of command, and that the PLA’s joint operational command capabilities would likely fall into confusion and require reorganization. National Taiwan University political science associate professor Chen Shih-min (陳世民) said the PLA’s command system is in a vacuum and the purges indicate Xi that has a deep mistrust of the military. Fearing potential defections in the event of war, Xi is unlikely to take major military action against Taiwan in the short term, Chen added.
