China Removes Two Generals From State CMC; Party Unchanged

China has removed two senior generals, Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli, from the state Central Military Commission, months after both were placed under investigation for suspected serious violations of discipline and the law. The removals were announced by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, signaling a broad internal purge that has eroded top leadership across the PLA. Although the state CMC is being reshaped, the two officers have not been publicly stripped from the Communist Party’s parallel CMC, leaving Xi Jinping prominently positioned at the top of the power structure. Both officers are veteran commanders with battlefield experience from campaigns against Vietnam in the late 20th century, and their downfall follows a wider anti-graft campaign that has targeted other senior officials. The developments reflect ongoing turbulence within China’s armed forces and raise questions about combat readiness as the leadership purge continues.