NYT: US concerned about mass purges in Chinese army

Reports of the arrest of two senior generals of the People’s Liberation Army of China (PLA), including Zhang Youxia—one of the closest figures to Chinese Communist Party Chairman Xi Jinping—continue to raise questions.

According to The New York Times, the “mass purge” that has created a vacuum in the leadership of the world’s largest army could undermine Xi’s confidence in the country’s military readiness.

Journalists report that since early 2023, the Chinese leader has dismissed 30 senior admirals and generals, with only seven officials retaining their posts.

Officially, Xi Jinping’s campaign is aimed at combating corruption. However, the authors suggest it may also be intended to reinforce personal loyalty to the Chinese leader.

The latest episode in the sweeping dismissals was the arrest of Zhang Youxia, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, and Liu Zhenli, a commission member and chief of its Joint Staff Department. Their removal deprived the council of key commanders responsible for operational military planning, the newspaper writes.

The authors argue that as a result of the purges, less qualified officers may now be involved in military planning, which they believe could deal a “blow to the army’s combat capability” ahead of a potential operation against Taiwan.

By Khagan Isayev