China's defence ministry says it has opened an investigation into the country's highest-ranking general over "grave violations of discipline and the law". The ministry gave no further details about accusations against General Zhang Youxia, who has widely been seen as President Xi Jinping's closest military ally. In its announcement, the ministry said another senior military officer, General Liu Zhenli, was also under investigation. His father was one of the founding generals of the Chinese Communist Party. He has called corruption "the biggest threat" to the Communist Party and said the fight against it "remains grave and complex".

Source: The Star January 24, 2026 17:44 UTC