Zhang Youxia Arrested — Is Wang Qishan Next?

At the CCP's 75th anniversary reception, former Vice President Wang Qishan, who once aided Xi Jinping in purging political opponents, was seen with a sullen expression throughout the event. (Video screenshot) dajiyuan

[People News] Recently, political turmoil in China has continued to intensify. On January 24, 2026, the Ministry of National Defense officially announced that Zhang Youxia, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), is suspected of serious disciplinary and legal violations and has been placed under investigation. The news quickly sparked heated discussion in both domestic and international media and on social platforms. Many view this as the latest strike in Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign. As a top military figure, Zhang Youxia’s downfall is indeed rare, especially given his “red second-generation” background and his long-standing personal ties with Xi Jinping. However, behind this event, some voices have begun to speculate: Will the next target be former Vice President Wang Qishan?

Zhang Youxia’s investigation is not an isolated case. Since Xi Jinping came to power, anti-corruption efforts within the military have intensified. From former Defence Minister Li Shangfu and He Weidong to Miao Hua and other senior CMC officials, a series of high-ranking figures have fallen, forming a sustained campaign of “turning the blade inward.” In the official announcement, Zhang Youxia was mentioned together with Liu Zhenli, Chief of Staff of the CMC Joint Staff Department, both suspected of “serious disciplinary and legal violations,” though no specific details have yet been disclosed. This triggered widespread discussion on X (formerly Twitter), with some interpreting it as a “major political signal,” while others questioned its authenticity or underlying motives.

As the son of Zhang Zongxun, Zhang Youxia had old ties with Xi Jinping’s father, Xi Zhongxun, and was once described as one of Xi’s “ironclad allies.” However, in politics, there are no permanent allies. Some analysts believe Zhang’s downfall may stem from the chain reaction of the Rocket Force corruption case, which has already implicated many generals. There are also rumours that Zhang’s family members are involved, but these claims lack official confirmation and appear only in overseas blogs and on social media.

The impact of this event on military stability should not be underestimated. Australia-based scholar Yuan Hongbing commented on X that the military high command has been almost “wiped out,” which could intensify distrust toward Xi Jinping and predicted that 2026 will be a year of crisis. From a non-party perspective, while anti-corruption campaigns may produce short-term deterrence, they could weaken cohesion within the military and generate further uncertainty.

After Zhang Youxia’s downfall, rumours in Beijing have begun to point toward Wang Qishan. Some believe that among those Xi Jinping fears most are Deng Pufang, Zeng Qinghong, Wang Qishan, Zhang Youxia, and Liu Yuan, with Wang Qishan and Zhang Youxia posing the greatest threat. The reasons cited include: during his tenure at the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), Wang Qishan accumulated large amounts of “black material” on senior officials, especially involving military generals; Xi Jinping allegedly promised at the 19th Party Congress to make Wang premier, but Wang opposed the abolition of presidential term limits and subsequently fell out of favor; most importantly, Wang Qishan is said to have close personal ties with Zhang Youxia.

Even before Xi revised the constitution to remove term limits, he reportedly used overseas media to pressure Wang Qishan. After Wang lost power, Xi continued to target Wang’s associates. However, given the complexity of Wang’s network, Xi has not taken direct action against Wang himself, only placing him under de facto house arrest. Therefore, with Zhang Youxia now detained, Wang Qishan will inevitably be implicated.

Note: Claims that Wang Qishan will be arrested next are merely the analysis of insiders within Beijing circles. They are not official information nor leaks. Whether this analysis proves accurate remains to be seen.

(Author’s X account)