The campaign against corruption has been a central feature of Chinese president Xi Jinping’s leadership since 2012. Photograph: Yan Yan/Xinhua via APChina’s top general is under investigation for corruption in a dramatic escalation of a purge of the military leadership that has left president Xi Jinping in sole operational command of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). The latest moves follow last year’s purge of He Weidong, the second most senior general in the PLA after Mr Zhang. Mr Zhang was a member of the politburo, the top decision-making body of the Communist Party and his father fought alongside Mr Xi’s under Mao Zedong during China’s civil war. The PLA Daily suggested in an editorial that Mr Zhang and Mr Liu were not only accused of corruption but were undermining Mr Xi’s authority over the PLA.

Source: The Irish Times January 25, 2026 18:27 UTC