[REVISION HISTORY]

Xi's anti‑corruption purge widens and deepens

Updated 14 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

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2026-09-04 08:16 UTC → 2026-09-05 07:51 UTC · added ~~removed~~

The anti‑corruption drive that began in early May 2026 has continued to reshape the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and the broader party‑state hierarchy. In late June, the National People’s Congress standing committee removed six senior generals, including Xu Xueqiang, signaling the purge’s reach into legislative bodies. A parallel report on 30 June documented investigations into senior officials such as former Zhejiang party secretary Yi Lianhong and emergency‑management minister Wang Xiangxi. By late July, Xi Jinping called for an “intelligent military system,” urging the PLA to accelerate the use of artificial intelligence and unmanned technologies while simultaneously demanding a stronger anti‑corruption drive and tighter supervision of defense projects. August 2026 saw intensified instability. The August 1 military reception underscored an eroded command structure, with only Defence Minister Dong Jun speaking and no CMC members attending. Subsequent celebrations on 4 August confirmed that 101 senior officers—approximately 52% of top posts—have been removed since 2022. Newly promoted leaders such as Zhang Shuguang, Wang Gang, Han Shengyan, and Yang Zhibin now dominate the senior command, though analysts note many newly promoted lieutenant generals are performing duties of full generals despite limited experience. On 28 August, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress officially removed CMC Vice Chairman Zhang Youxia and Joint Staff Department Chief Liu Zhenli from the Central Military Commission. Both had been under investigation since 24 January 2026 for suspected “serious violations of discipline and law.” These removals, alongside the stripping of NPC deputy status from Zhang, Liu, and commanders Ju Qiansheng and Zhong Shaojun, have reduced the CMC's active membership to only two individuals: President Xi Jinping and Zhang Shangmin. ~~The dismissal of Zhong Shaojun was noted~~ By early September, the campaign has been characterized as ~~unusual because it occurred without~~ the ~~standard prior public announcement~~ most significant removal of ~~investigations.~~ military personnel since the era of Mao Zedong.

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