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Zhang Youxia

The latest news on Chinese politician Zhang Youxia, including political stories and updates.

Born

Jul 1950

Industry

Politics, Military

Job Title

Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission of China

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth accompanied the president on his state visit to China last week. Photo: dpa

2026 Xi-Trump summit

Exclusive | Will US defence strategy architect Colby pave the way for Hegseth’s China visit?

Sources say the Pentagon’s undersecretary for policy could arrive in Beijing ‘within weeks’ to finalise arrangements for defence chief’s trip.

21 May 2026 - 9:36PMvideocam

Mainland China

Editorial | Suspended sentences reaffirm that no one is immune from China’s anti-graft drive

10 May 2026 - 6:45AM

Corruption in China

Fate of China’s ex-defence heads shows party won’t allow disloyalty: state media

9 May 2026 - 9:27AMvideocam

Badminton World Federation (BWF)

China’s anti-corruption body probes badminton association chief Zhang Jun

Olympic gold medallist Zhang Jun, who is also vice-president of Nanjing Sport Institute, has been placed ‘under disciplinary review’.

29 Apr 2026 - 9:48PM

China Badminton Association president Zhang Jun (middle, with trophy) celebrates with Team China after winning the Uber Cup in May 2024. Photo: Getty Images

China’s military

Chinese rocket force scientist Major General Feng Yufang dies aged 63

Feng advocated for self-reliance, once saying ‘core technologies cannot be bought and relying on imports will not get us far’.

15 Apr 2026 - 12:00PMvideocam

China’s Communist Party

Ma Xingrui becomes China’s third Politburo member investigated for corruption

Former Communist Party chief of Xinjiang is under investigation for ‘serious violations of discipline and law’, according to state news agency Xinhua.

3 Apr 2026 - 7:53PMvideocam

US-China relations

US says mainland China has no plans to attack Taiwan in 2027

Beijing seeks to control the island without the use of force, the US intelligence community confirms in its annual report on global threats.

20 Mar 2026 - 3:12AMvideocam

The People’s Liberation Army conducts military drills near Pingtan island, in eastern China’s Fujian province, the closest point to Taiwan, on December 30, 2025. Photo: AFP

China's military weapons

J-20 fighter jet designer scrubbed from Chinese Academy of Sciences website

Yang Wei has not appeared in public for more than a year, and it comes amid an anti-corruption campaign in the defence sector.

19 Mar 2026 - 8:33AMvideocam

Science

Top Chinese nuclear, radar and missile experts vanish from engineering body site

Former CAE vice-president Zhao Xiangeng is among a number of academicians no longer profiled on the body’s website.

15 Mar 2026 - 8:56PMvideocam

China’s Communist Party

Xi Jinping’s zero-fail mission for China’s military: total loyalty, no corruption

President underlines his strict ideological line to the PLA’s diminished delegation to the NPC.

7 Mar 2026 - 10:00PMvideocam

The PLA’s delegation to the NPC has shrunk from 281 members in 2023 to 243 this year. Photo: Reuters

Two Sessions 2026

China’s last CMC general standing urges more ‘political rectification’ for PLA

Combat readiness and loyalty to Xi Jinping also highlighted in Central Military Commission vice-chairman’s remarks at ‘two sessions’.

6 Mar 2026 - 5:52PMvideocam

Zhang Shengmin, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission, salutes Chinese President Xi Jinping in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Wednesday. Photo: Reuters

Two Sessions 2026

Takeaways from Chinese Premier Li Qiang’s government work report

Li raises the curtain on the annual session of the National People’s Congress with a series of targets for the economy.

5 Mar 2026 - 4:18PMvideocam

Corruption in China

China’s war on corruption – is this just the end of the beginning?

More ‘tigers’ are being culled than ever before in a campaign that could be becoming the new normal.

4 Mar 2026 - 6:05AMvideocam

China’s military

After Zhang Youxia’s downfall, PLA told to be more mindful of spending

State media also spotlights deep flaws in PLA’s readiness that have surfaced during country’s widening anti-corruption drive.

13 Feb 2026 - 12:40PMvideocam

Members of the People’s Liberation Army stand at attention as Chinese President Xi Jinping inspects their combat readiness via video link in Beijing on Tuesday. Photo: Xinhua

China’s Communist Party

What is China’s Central Military Commission and how does it function?

The downfall of two more members of the top command body has left just Xi Jinping and one other member active.

13 Feb 2026 - 3:12PMvideocam

Zhang Shengmin is the last uniformed general remaining on the commission. Photo: Handout

China’s Communist Party

China’s military command tightens discipline at the top in generals’ wake

Revised rules are meant to close loopholes, PLA mouthpiece says, two weeks after Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli’s downfall.

7 Feb 2026 - 8:48PMvideocam

China’s military drills

China’s military cracks down on training ‘fakery’ after Zhang Youxia’s ousting

PLA plans to crack down on ‘fakery that undermines combat capability’, soon after top generals placed under corruption investigation.

6 Feb 2026 - 8:49PMvideocam

Corruption in China

China expels defence officials from legislature amid corruption crackdown

Three senior executives removed from National People’s Congress without explanation could face disciplinary action or criminal charges.

5 Feb 2026 - 2:10AMvideocam

(From left) Zhou Xinmin, former chairman of AVIC, Luo Qi, chief engineer of the China National Nuclear Corporation, and Liu Cangli, former president of the China Academy of Engineering Physics. Photos: Handout

Corruption in China

What does the fall of PLA top brass Zhang Youxia say about Beijing’s Taiwan plans?

Investigations into China’s top military commanders have raised questions about the PLA’s battle readiness.

4 Feb 2026 - 6:14AMvideocam

Corruption in China

Zhang Youxia probe to end ‘watered-down’ military capability: PLA Daily

Investigation and in-depth political rectification to bring in new atmosphere and positive spirit, commentary in official military paper says.

2 Feb 2026 - 8:03PMvideocam

Corruption in China

China’s military redoubles corruption fight in wake of Zhang Youxia’s downfall

PLA mouthpiece warns troops not to be blindly optimistic or totally pessimistic about winning the war against graft.

31 Jan 2026 - 8:56PMvideocam

Corruption is the first killer of combat ability, according to a new PLA Daily commentary. Photo: Xinhua

South China Sea

China says Philippines is stoking tensions with Scarborough Shoal drill

Manila reportedly issued a notice warning of military exercises across a wide area of the South China Sea until the end of March.

30 Jan 2026 - 9:00PMvideocam

The exercises will reportedly run until the end of March. Photo: AP

Xi Jinping's anti-corruption campaign

Former Inner Mongolia party chief, veterans minister investigated for corruption

Sun Shaocheng’s downfall is announced days after investigations into China’s top-ranking general Zhang Youxia.

30 Jan 2026 - 2:53PMvideocam

Central Military Commission

‘Communist warrior’: China’s leaders pay tribute to late general Liao Xilong

Liao praised for his party loyalty just days after the downfall of the country’s top uniformed officer.

29 Jan 2026 - 11:08PMvideocam

China-Russia relations

China and Russia to bolster defence ties to counter risks

Call marks first ministerial-level exchange between Beijing and Moscow since US raid on Venezuela and Trump’s stronger words on Greenland.

27 Jan 2026 - 10:47PMvideocam

Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun and his Russian counterpart Andrei Belousov inspect an honour guard during a welcoming ceremony in Beijing in October 2024. Photo: EPA-EFE

China’s Communist Party

China’s top general ousted in corruption investigation

The seven-seat Central Military Commission now only has two active members after the downfall of vice-chairman Zhang Youxia and fellow general Liu Zhenli.

26 Jan 2026 - 5:18PM

SCMP Highlights

Thailand’s Chinese weapons haul, Blackpink in Hong Kong: 5 weekend reads

From a rapid rise in solo living to Blackpink shows with a Hong Kong flair, here are five stories you may have missed over the weekend.

26 Jan 2026 - 2:18PM

China’s Communist Party

Why China’s swift ousting of Zhang Youxia is a warning from Xi on party purity

Seemingly risky move to oust two generals ahead of Communist Party congress and PLA centenary sends a message about anti-corruption drive.

26 Jan 2026 - 4:19PMvideocam

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Zhang Youxia

.css-19im5qg{color:#c79a00;}Exclusive | Will US defence strategy architect Colby pave the way for Hegseth’s China visit?

Sources say the Pentagon’s undersecretary for policy could arrive in Beijing ‘within weeks’ to finalise arrangements for defence chief’s trip.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Editorial | Suspended sentences reaffirm that no one is immune from China’s anti-graft drive

Fate of China’s ex-defence heads shows party won’t allow disloyalty: state media

China’s anti-corruption body probes badminton association chief Zhang Jun

Olympic gold medallist Zhang Jun, who is also vice-president of Nanjing Sport Institute, has been placed ‘under disciplinary review’.

Chinese rocket force scientist Major General Feng Yufang dies aged 63

Feng advocated for self-reliance, once saying ‘core technologies cannot be bought and relying on imports will not get us far’.

Ma Xingrui becomes China’s third Politburo member investigated for corruption

Former Communist Party chief of Xinjiang is under investigation for ‘serious violations of discipline and law’, according to state news agency Xinhua.

US says mainland China has no plans to attack Taiwan in 2027

Beijing seeks to control the island without the use of force, the US intelligence community confirms in its annual report on global threats.

J-20 fighter jet designer scrubbed from Chinese Academy of Sciences website

Yang Wei has not appeared in public for more than a year, and it comes amid an anti-corruption campaign in the defence sector.

Top Chinese nuclear, radar and missile experts vanish from engineering body site

Former CAE vice-president Zhao Xiangeng is among a number of academicians no longer profiled on the body’s website.

Xi Jinping’s zero-fail mission for China’s military: total loyalty, no corruption

President underlines his strict ideological line to the PLA’s diminished delegation to the NPC.

China’s last CMC general standing urges more ‘political rectification’ for PLA

Combat readiness and loyalty to Xi Jinping also highlighted in Central Military Commission vice-chairman’s remarks at ‘two sessions’.

Takeaways from Chinese Premier Li Qiang’s government work report

Li raises the curtain on the annual session of the National People’s Congress with a series of targets for the economy.

China’s war on corruption – is this just the end of the beginning?

More ‘tigers’ are being culled than ever before in a campaign that could be becoming the new normal.

After Zhang Youxia’s downfall, PLA told to be more mindful of spending

State media also spotlights deep flaws in PLA’s readiness that have surfaced during country’s widening anti-corruption drive.

What is China’s Central Military Commission and how does it function?

The downfall of two more members of the top command body has left just Xi Jinping and one other member active.

China’s military command tightens discipline at the top in generals’ wake

Revised rules are meant to close loopholes, PLA mouthpiece says, two weeks after Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli’s downfall.

China’s military cracks down on training ‘fakery’ after Zhang Youxia’s ousting

PLA plans to crack down on ‘fakery that undermines combat capability’, soon after top generals placed under corruption investigation.

China expels defence officials from legislature amid corruption crackdown

Three senior executives removed from National People’s Congress without explanation could face disciplinary action or criminal charges.

What does the fall of PLA top brass Zhang Youxia say about Beijing’s Taiwan plans?

Investigations into China’s top military commanders have raised questions about the PLA’s battle readiness.

Zhang Youxia probe to end ‘watered-down’ military capability: PLA Daily

Investigation and in-depth political rectification to bring in new atmosphere and positive spirit, commentary in official military paper says.

China’s military redoubles corruption fight in wake of Zhang Youxia’s downfall

PLA mouthpiece warns troops not to be blindly optimistic or totally pessimistic about winning the war against graft.

China says Philippines is stoking tensions with Scarborough Shoal drill

Manila reportedly issued a notice warning of military exercises across a wide area of the South China Sea until the end of March.

Former Inner Mongolia party chief, veterans minister investigated for corruption

Sun Shaocheng’s downfall is announced days after investigations into China’s top-ranking general Zhang Youxia.

‘Communist warrior’: China’s leaders pay tribute to late general Liao Xilong

Liao praised for his party loyalty just days after the downfall of the country’s top uniformed officer.

China and Russia to bolster defence ties to counter risks

Call marks first ministerial-level exchange between Beijing and Moscow since US raid on Venezuela and Trump’s stronger words on Greenland.

China’s top general ousted in corruption investigation

The seven-seat Central Military Commission now only has two active members after the downfall of vice-chairman Zhang Youxia and fellow general Liu Zhenli.

Thailand’s Chinese weapons haul, Blackpink in Hong Kong: 5 weekend reads

From a rapid rise in solo living to Blackpink shows with a Hong Kong flair, here are five stories you may have missed over the weekend.

Why China’s swift ousting of Zhang Youxia is a warning from Xi on party purity

Seemingly risky move to oust two generals ahead of Communist Party congress and PLA centenary sends a message about anti-corruption drive.

Exclusive | Will US defence strategy architect Colby pave the way for Hegseth’s China visit?

Editorial | Suspended sentences reaffirm that no one is immune from China’s anti-graft drive