Senior Chinese Military Official Zhang Youxia Under Investigation for Disciplinary Violations

Beijing. China's top military official, Zhang Youxia, is under investigation on suspicion of serious violations of discipline and law, the Chinese Ministry of National Defense announced on Saturday.

Zhang Youxia is the senior of the two vice chairmen of the powerful Central Military Commission (CMC). He becomes the latest high-ranking individual to be drawn into an investigation under China's long-running campaign to 'cleanse' military officers.

According to analysts, such cleansing campaigns are aimed at reforming the Chinese military and ensuring absolute loyalty to President Xi Jinping, who himself chairs the Central Military Commission. This campaign is part of a sweeping anti-corruption drive that began after Xi came to power in 2012, under which more than 200,000 officials have been disciplined so far.

According to the Ministry of National Defense statement, another member of the Central Military Commission, Liu Zhenli, is also under investigation by the Communist Party. Liu is the Chief of Staff of the Joint Staff Department under the Commission. The Central Military Commission is China's most powerful military body. The statement did not provide detailed information regarding the specific allegations against Zhang or Liu.

The 75-year-old Zhang Youxia joined the People's Liberation Army in 1968. He is a four-star general from the ground force. Last October, another vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, He Weidong, was expelled from the Communist Party. Zhang Shengmin was appointed in his place as a member of the Commission.