Zhang Youxia, 75, is also accused of accepting bribes for official acts, including the promotion of an officer to the post of defense minister, the newspaper reported on Sunday. The briefing was held before China’s Defense Ministry announced on Saturday that it was investigating Zhang, WSJ said. Liu, 61, has been chief of the People Liberation Army’s Joint Staff Department, which oversees military operations, intelligence and training. Xi began his latest campaign to root out corruption in the armed forces in mid-2023, months after securing a precedent-defying third term. Since then, two vice military chairs, three CMC members, a former defense minister, and at least a dozen senior generals who oversaw military commands have been ousted.

Source: The Edge Markets January 25, 2026 23:07 UTC