Gen. Fang Fenghui, another rising star in the Chinese military, also vanished from public view at about the same time. Some specialists called the very public vilification of General Zhang a sign that Mr. Xi intends to press ahead with his crackdown, and perhaps intensify it. It is extremely rare for high-ranking Chinese officials to commit suicide even when under investigation, in part because they will most likely be spared the death sentence. “It doesn’t make much sense for a rational person to make such a drastic decision to end his own life,” he said of General Zhang. General Zhang was also loyal to Mr. Xi, at least in public.

Source: New York Times November 28, 2017 06:51 UTC