Zhang Youxia walks down the podium after addressing the Western Pacific Navy Symposium held in Qingdao in eastern China's Shandong province on April 22, 2024.
Zhang Youxia walks down the podium after addressing the Western Pacific Navy Symposium held in Qingdao in eastern China’s Shandong province on April 22, 2024.

Ng Han Guan/AP

BeijingAP — 

The Chinese military’s top general is being investigated for suspected serious violations of discipline and law the Defense Ministry said Saturday.

Zhang Youxia, the senior of the two vice chairs of the powerful Central Military Commission, is the latest figure to fall in a long-running purge of military officials.

Gen Zhang Youxia, Vice Chairman of China's Central Military Commission (CMC) calls on Pakistan's Army Chief Gen Asim Munir Gen Zhang commends Pakistan Army's resolve and professionalism in its ongoing counter-terrorism efforts

Analysts believe the purges are designed both to reform the military and to ensure loyalty to Chinese leader Xi Jinping, who also chairs the military commission. They are part of a broader anti-corruption drive that has punished more than 200,000 officials since Xi came to power in 2012.

Another member of the commission, Liu Zhenli, has also been placed under investigation by China’s ruling Communist Party, a Defense Ministry statement said. Liu is the chief of staff of the commission’s Joint Staff Department. The commission is the top military body in China.

China's top uniformed officer Zhang Youxia among 2 generals under investigation | South China Morning Post

The statement did not provide any details on the alleged wrongdoing.

Zhang, who is 75, joined the People’s Liberation Army in 1968 and is a general from its ground forces.

The Communist Party expelled the other vice chair of the commission, He Weidong, last October and replaced him with commission member Zhang Shengmin.