The extensive purges within China’s top military brass, which commenced in 2023, have resulted in a significant personnel vacuum. Western media outlets are engaged in debate over whether this weakens the armed forces or, conversely, centralizes authority for potential future operations.
Citing The New York Times, “RBK” reports that since the start of 2023, over 20 admirals and generals have been removed from senior military positions under the guise of an anti-corruption drive. By 2026, only seven out of the original thirty individuals managed to retain their posts. The publication suggests this campaign serves the official stated goals while simultaneously bolstering the personal allegiance of the military leadership to the nation’s head, Xi Jinping.
The apex of these removals involved the sidelining of Zhang Youxia, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission. Concurrently, Commander Liu Zhenli was also stripped of his leadership role. Both were accused of “serious violations.” Their departure, as noted by the NYT, deprived the council of essential specialists in operational troop training.
This massive turnover of personnel, according to the newspaper’s analysis, has generated a void in military command. Less experienced officers have taken the roles previously held by seasoned commanders, potentially eroding Beijing’s confidence in its own military’s combat readiness.
Nevertheless, other Western media outlets, such as The Wall Street Journal, offer a contrasting perspective. Their view is that these resignations, particularly that of General Zhang Youxia, have instead consolidated military control under a single authority. This, in turn, broadens the latitude for forceful geopolitical maneuvers, including those concerning Taiwan.
The Telegraph too posits that these purges are integral to a strategy aimed at forging a modern military capable of achieving the island’s annexation and challenging US military supremacy by 2027.
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