Zhang Youxia's Fate Remains Shrouded in Mystery, With Conflicting Reports Surfacing on the Same Day

Zhang Youxia, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China. (Video screenshot)

[People News] The internal conflicts within the Communist Party of China are perplexing, particularly concerning Vice Chairman Zhang Youxia of the Central Military Commission, making it challenging to ascertain the truth. On the same day, some reports claimed that Zhang Youxia had died, while others asserted that he was still detained in Beijing. The emergence of these contradictory reports highlights the ongoing fierce power struggle within the Communist Party, with various factions competing for dominance in the narrative surrounding Zhang Youxia's life and death.

On January 24, the Ministry of National Defense of the Communist Party of China announced that Zhang Youxia, a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee and Vice Chairman of the Military Commission, along with Liu Zhenli, a member of the Central Military Commission and Chief of the Joint Staff, are under investigation for suspected "serious violations of discipline and law." However, neither the State Council nor the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has commented on this matter, and local governments across various provinces and cities have also refrained from making any statements.

During the New Year period, several versions of news regarding Zhang Youxia's situation emerged: some claimed he had been killed; others stated he was alive but had been granted early retirement; and there were also reports suggesting that Zhang and Liu were being held in a secret facility of the Central Guard Bureau in Gu'an, Hebei, with Cai Qi overseeing the proceedings. The array of differing accounts is quite bewildering.

Furthermore, rumours have circulated regarding the reasons behind Zhang Youxia's arrest, the circumstances of his detention, whether any military conflict occurred during the arrest, and the location of his detention, with various versions of these rumours emerging, all of which are detailed and difficult to verify.

On February 24, the Xinhua website still featured Zhang Youxia's name and photo on the page for the '20th Central Leadership Organisation,' listing him among the 'Members of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.' Additionally, both Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli were mentioned in the 'Central Military Commission' section. Xinhua confirmed that neither Zhang Youxia nor Liu Zhenli has fallen from grace and that they continue to hold their official positions.

Zhang Youxia, a General and a vice-state-level official, remains a figure of mystery, with his current status and fate unknown. The authorities have shown little inclination to clarify the situation, which reflects a unique phenomenon under the authoritarian regime of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) that often disregards human life. In this environment, any official can become a sacrificial offering to the party at any moment. Numerous military leaders and government officials have disappeared, with their fates still uncertain, and the CCP has never provided explanations. As a result, there has been ongoing scrutiny from the outside world regarding Zhang Youxia's life and death.

According to reports from New Tang Dynasty Television, on February 23, Sheng Xue, a pro-democracy activist based in Canada, posted on the X platform that she had received an urgent phone call from a source in China, claiming that Zhang Youxia had been executed. 'The specific details are still unclear. Some matters are quite simple to handle. Just one injection, and it's over. I also speculate that this may not be accurate.' The message further stated that Xi Jinping has already 'resolved everything' within the CCP.

On the same day, independent commentator Cai Shenkun mentioned in his self-media program that his latest information suggested that Zhang Youxia had been held in Beijing since his arrest, under the dual surveillance of the Beijing Garrison and the Central Guard Bureau. His safety is 'absolutely guaranteed,' his health 'is not an issue at all,' and his family has also 'not been affected.'

This marks the Nth instance of contradictory revelations surfacing with opposing conclusions. While the public has grown accustomed to such occurrences, it still raises a question: Is this manoeuvring intended to conceal something?

Furthermore, on February 22, an internal leak from the old lantern army disclosed that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) recently issued an 'Emergency Notice from the General Office of the Central Military Commission,' aimed at 'refuting rumours' across the military. The notice firmly states: 'Following verification by the General Office of the Central Military Commission,' Comrades Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli are currently in good health and are undergoing organisational review and investigation. It also emphasises that their thoughts are stable and their attitudes are correct, among other points.

The notice demands in a serious tone that the entire military must prioritise maintaining troop stability as the most pressing political task. Perhaps this is the crux of the issue.

If the CCP military indeed received such an 'Emergency Notice,' it would validate the rumours regarding the significant impact on the military following Zhang Youxia's incident, necessitating this official document to reassure military personnel: your former leader is still alive, do not become restless, and absolutely do not rebel.

Commentator Jiang Feng posed the question: If this document is authentic, what has compelled the central authority to issue such an unusual formal refutation? This suggests that military morale has dissipated and reached a critical point, indicating that the officers and soldiers, particularly those who once stood by Zhang Youxia through thick and thin, are on the brink of eruption. There are private discussions about whether the old leader has been eliminated by the central authority. Regardless of the authenticity of the Military Commission's refutation letter, the central authority is in a state of panic, and military morale is in disarray; this is a significant reality.

(First published by People News)△