Xi Jinping promotes two PLA generals amid anti-corruption purge

On 3 July 2026 President Xi Jinping presided over a ceremony in Beijing that elevated two senior officers of the People’s Liberation Army to the rank of full general. Zhang Shuguang was promoted and named secretary of the Central Military Commission’s Discipline Inspection Commission, taking over the military’s top anti‑graft watchdog from Zhang Shengmin. Wang Gang was promoted and appointed commander of the PLA Air Force, succeeding Chang Dingqiu.

The promotions fill vacancies created by a sweeping anti‑corruption campaign that has removed more than a hundred senior PLA leaders since 2022, including former defense ministers, vice‑chairmen of the Central Military Commission and numerous high‑rank generals. The purge has reduced the seven‑member Central Military Commission to just two active members – Xi himself and Vice‑Chairman Zhang Shengmin – prompting a reshuffle of the military’s senior command. Analysts view the moves as part of Xi’s effort to consolidate loyalty, modernise the armed forces and ensure alignment with the Communist Party ahead of the next Party Congress.

The new generals are expected to assume responsibilities at a time when China’s military modernization and regional activities, especially around the Taiwan Strait, remain high on the agenda.