The investigation into China’s highest-ranking general Zhang Youxia marks one of the most extraordinary turns in the country’s long-running military shake-up, given his background, rank and proximity to President Xi Jinping, say analysts.

A war veteran, the son of a founding People’s Liberation Army (PLA) general and one of Xi’s longest-serving allies in uniform, Zhang had widely been seen as politically secure – even untouchable – within the armed forces. Analysts say Zhang’s plight may reflect a confluence of factors, such as a possible erosion of trust between him and Xi as well as the Chinese supremo’s broader effort to consolidate control over the military and reshape the CMC ahead of the 21st Party Congress in 2027. The episode underscores how no one is immune in Xi’s remaking of the PLA, not even those once regarded as trusted insiders, they further point out.

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