The Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China originally consisted of 7 members, but now only Xi Jinping and Zhang Shengmin remain. (Video screenshot)
[People News] As we enter 2026, the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) anti-corruption campaign is intensifying, with increasingly severe crackdowns on high-ranking officials. The power struggles have deeply infiltrated the leadership surrounding Xi Jinping. Leading up to the 21st National Congress, personnel positioning battles and counterattacks have been rampant from the central to local levels, with various factions engaged in fierce conflicts. For the CCP, choosing the right 'successor' is critical, as it impacts the political lives, power, and wealth of different factions. The intensity, speed, and number of high-ranking officials being targeted have now entered a 'ministerial-level action' phase. In the past six months, according to incomplete statistics, at least ten officials at the ministerial level and above have been taken down as major tigers. Today, we will review this situation.
6. Wang Xiangxi
On January 31, the website of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission announced that Wang Xiangxi, Secretary of the Party Committee and Minister of the Ministry of Emergency Management, is under review and supervisory investigation for serious violations of discipline and law.
Wang Xiangxi had a long tenure in Hubei. In June 2017, he was appointed as a member of the Standing Committee of the Hubei Provincial Party Committee and later served as the Secretary of the Political and Legal Committee of the Provincial Party Committee. In 2022, he was transferred to the Ministry of Emergency Management, where he served as Secretary of the Party Committee and Minister.
Wang Xiangxi's downfall was quite sudden. Just a few days prior to his dismissal, on January 27, the Party Committee of the Ministry of Emergency Management held a democratic life meeting for the year 2025, which Wang Xiangxi presided over and delivered a concluding speech.
During the meeting, he emphasized the importance of leading by example in maintaining integrity, consistently implementing the spirit of the Central Eight Regulations and their detailed guidelines, and working under strict disciplinary constraints. The party committee secretary should take the initiative in fulfilling the primary responsibilities, while party committee members must diligently implement the 'dual responsibility for one position,' ensuring political integrity through honesty and cleanliness.
Chinese Communist Party officials often exhibit a stark contrast between their public and private personas, frequently saying one thing while doing another. This duplicity is widespread and reflects the deceitful nature fostered by the Chinese Communist Party. Wang Xiangxi stands out as a prime example of this theatrical behavior, with his personality split being particularly pronounced.
7. Zhang Jianlong
On January 22, Zhang Jianlong, a former member of the Party Leadership Group of the Ministry of Natural Resources and the former Party Secretary and Director of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, was placed under investigation. Before Zhang Jianlong's investigation, several corruption cases and mysterious deaths of officials had been reported within the National Forestry and Grassland Administration.
On May 13, 2025, Li Chunliang, the former deputy director of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, was dismissed from his position.
On July 30, 2024, the South Central Survey and Planning Institute of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration revealed that Luo Huaibin, the former deputy director of the Information Technology Department, died unexpectedly while on a business trip in Tibet. However, Luo Huaibin's wife has continued to post online, alleging that he was murdered while performing natural conservation duties in Zhaozha County, Shannan, Tibet, where he was staying at the Zhaozha County Lakang Town Guesthouse. Reports indicate that Luo Huaibin had previously filed complaints against Liu Jinfeng, the Party Secretary and Deputy Director of the South Central Survey and Planning Institute, and Yang Ning, the Deputy Director, for illegal and disciplinary violations.
The forestry and grassland sector is a domain of interest for Jiang Zemin's sister, Jiang Zehui.
Jiang Zehui arrived in Beijing in January 1996, taking on the role of a member of the Party Group of the Ministry of Forestry of the Communist Party of China (at the vice-ministerial level). From February 1996 to December 2006, he served as the president of the Chinese Academy of Forestry Sciences and the secretary of the academy's Party Group. Throughout his career, he has held various positions, including member of the Party Group of the State Forestry Administration (at the vice-ministerial level), deputy director of the Science and Technology Committee of the State Forestry Administration, standing committee member of the Chinese Association for Science and Technology, executive deputy director of the Science and Technology Committee of the State Forestry Administration, and the overall leader of the China Forest Resource Accounting Research Project, among others.
After Jiang Zemin became General Secretary, many of his relatives and associates were promoted, forming what is known as the Jiang family clique, which included the officials and secretaries he appointed. This clique sought to consolidate Jiang Zemin's power through corruption, bribery, murder, and coercion, employing various tactics such as the assassination of figures like Yang Shangkun and Wang Baosen, using anti-corruption campaigns to target Chen Xitong, and even conducting military exercises in the Yellow Sea to intimidate Hu Jintao. Thus, it can be said that once someone joins the Jiang family clique, they tend to be ruthless; if what Luo Huaibin's wife claims is true, that they murdered Luo Huaibin, it would not be surprising.
8. Sun Shaoping
On January 29, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission released a notice indicating that Sun Shaoping, the deputy director of the Social Construction Committee of the 14th National People's Congress, is under investigation for serious violations of discipline and law by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.
Since Xi Jinping took office, Sun Shaoping has experienced frequent promotions in his career. In March 2018, he was appointed as the minister and Party group secretary of the newly established Ministry of Veterans Affairs; in 2022, he became the secretary of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Party Committee; and in September 2025, he was appointed as the deputy director of the Social Construction Committee of the National People's Congress.
During his tenure at the Ministry of Veterans Affairs, Sun Shaocheng was the superior of Fang Yongxiang, the current director of the Military Commission General Office. Fang had not made any public appearances for a considerable time before and after the incident involving Sun, which fueled ongoing rumors. In August 2025, Xi Jinping met with military representatives in Tibet and again in September in Xinjiang, where Fang was notably absent. At the Fourth Plenary Session of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China in October 2025, eight alternate members of the Central Committee were not replaced as is customary, including Fang Yongxiang, among five lieutenant generals.
Some analysts have suggested that Fang and Sun likely had a vested interest relationship, characterized by mutual support in times of success and mutual downfall in times of failure.
Reports suggest that Sun Shaocheng was implicated after the former chairman of Inner Mongolia, Wang Lixia, disguised as the 'Empress,' was ousted. Wang Lixia was officially announced to have fallen from power on August 22, 2025. Following Sun's appointment as the secretary of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, his son frequently engaged in various activities in Inner Mongolia, developing a close relationship with Wang Lixia's son. Their collaboration spans a wide range of areas, including engineering contracts, personnel adjustments, and mining development.
The downfall of Sun Shaocheng highlights the pervasive corruption within the Communist Party of China, where corrupt officials are entangled in a murky environment. They tend to flatter and exploit each other during prosperous times, but when crises arise, they turn against one another, adding insult to injury. Those who unite for profit will ultimately fall due to profit.
9 &10. Liu Zhenli, Zhang Youxia.
Comprehensive media reports indicate that Liu Zhenli and Zhang Youxia have engaged in mutual harm while contending with He Weidong, Miao Hua, and others. Initially, Xi Jinping, along with trusted aides like He and Miao, removed a group of Zhang Youxia's former subordinates when he was appointed as the head of the Equipment Development Department of the Central Military Commission. This group included the then Central Military Commission member, State Councilor, and Minister of National Defense Li Shangfu, along with several generals, lieutenant generals, and major generals. Concurrently, Xi began a covert investigation into Zhang Youxia, Zhang Shengmin, and others.
On January 26, Drew Thompson, the U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense, shared a post stating that he had heard as early as 2023 about Xi's secret investigation into Zhang Youxia and Zhang Shengmin. This information was disclosed to him by South China Morning Post reporter Chen Minli.
Zhang Youxia was compelled to retaliate. In July 2024, during the Third Plenary Session of the Communist Party of China, Xi unexpectedly fell ill and was hospitalized. With the backing of Party elders, the red second generation, and senior military officials, Zhang first secured substantial evidence of corruption against Miao Hua and He Weidong, which led Xi to make a statement. Xi had no choice but to agree to the removal of Miao Hua and He Weidong.
Following Miao Hua's ousting, a group of generals, lieutenant generals, and major generals who had quickly sent him money in hopes of promotion all confessed, including He Weidong.
Consequently, a wave of arrests swept through the military. The 'Xi family army' faced extensive purges, leaving Xi feeling anxious. He launched a surprise offensive against Zhang and Liu.
On January 24, the Ministry of National Defense of the People's Republic of China abruptly announced that Zhang Youxia, a member of the Central Political Bureau and Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, and Liu Zhenli, a member of the Central Military Commission and Chief of Staff of the Joint Staff Department, were suspected of serious disciplinary violations and illegal activities. Following deliberations by the Party Central Committee, it was decided to initiate a case for investigation against Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli.
Several unusual phenomena have emerged: First, the announcement regarding the investigation of Zhang (Zhang) and Liu (Liu) was made by the Ministry of National Defense, rather than by an investigative body like the Discipline Inspection Commission. Second, the investigation was conducted by the Central Research, rather than being decided by the Discipline Inspection Commission, as is typical for other high-ranking officials who have fallen from grace. Third, the rapid announcement of Zhang and Liu's downfall shocked observers; just eight days prior, Zhang was still present at the fifth plenary session of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. In contrast, figures like He Weidong (He Weidong) and Ma Xingrui (Ma Xingrui) were only announced to have fallen after about six months of absence. This indicates the depth of Xi Jinping's (Xi Jinping) disdain for Zhang and Liu.
Following this, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) issued severe accusations against Zhang and Liu through military media, listing numerous charges. The most significant among them include: serious violations of the responsibility system of the Chairman of the Central Military Commission, exacerbating political and corruption issues that threaten the Party's absolute leadership over the military and undermine its governing foundation, severely damaging the image and authority of the military commission's leadership, and significantly impacting the political ideological foundation of unity and progress among military personnel, causing substantial harm to the military's political construction, political ecology, and combat effectiveness.
These accusations reveal that the issues surrounding Zhang and Liu are not merely economic in nature, but rather stem from political disloyalty, essentially amounting to a coup.
Zhang and Liu are trusted confidants of Xi. Zhang is a veteran who fought in the Vietnam War during the 1980s, possesses combat experience, and is a childhood friend of Xi; their families have longstanding ties. After Xi assumed power, he supported Xi's re-election during the 19th and 20th National Congresses. Xi's arrest of Zhang and Liu has instilled significant fear among high-ranking officials in the Party, government, and military, making it clear that in the ruthless machinery of the CCP, no one is safe.
Interestingly, the CCP has been slow to reach a decision regarding the conviction and punishment of Zhang and Liu. Several sessions of the National People's Congress have been convened, yet none have resulted in the termination of their representative qualifications.
On June 26, 2026, the 23rd meeting of the 14th National People's Congress Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China announced the disqualification of 14 officials from serving as National People's Congress representatives. This list includes Politburo member Ma Xingrui and three generals: Xu Xueqiang, Li Fengbiao, and Guo Puxiao. Notably, Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli remain 'unsuccessful in the examination'.
Analysts believe that the primary reason for this situation is the persistent internal divisions at the highest levels, with factions within the party, government, and military expressing dissatisfaction with Xi Jinping's handling of Zhang Youxia. These factions are resisting actions against Zhang, resulting in a state of tension, and there has been no significant wave of 'criticism' from the party, government, and military circles. However, some perspectives suggest that this indicates Zhang and Liu have committed serious offenses, and Xi's Communist Party still requires further investigation. Reports have surfaced alleging that Zhang Youxia is involved in corruption amounting to 1.7 billion yuan, with some speculating that he may face a death sentence with a two-year reprieve, leading to an unfavorable outlook.
Postscript:
In the first half of this year, alongside the investigation of officials at the ministerial level and above, there have also been cases of demotions. For instance, Li Yunze, the head of the National Financial Supervision and Administration Bureau of the Communist Party of China, was affected. On April 29, 2026, the official website of the National Financial Supervision and Administration Bureau removed Li Yunze's biography. The Hong Kong newspaper Ming Pao later reported that it was rumored Li was involved in helping his son with a drunk driving incident ('settling the matter'), leading to his demotion to a first-level inspector (a non-leadership position at the ministerial level). On May 29 and June 5, the Communist Party's official announcements indicated that Ding Xiangqun, the secretary of the Party Committee and chairman of China People's Insurance Group, would take on the roles of secretary of the Party Committee and head of the National Financial Supervision and Administration Bureau. On June 26, the National People's Congress Standing Committee announced the termination of Li Zhize's qualifications as a National People's Congress representative.
Additionally, former Minister of the Organization Department Chen Xi was removed from his position as president of the Party School in June, with rumors suggesting that he was demoted to a deputy bureau level.
Among these party officials, some have previously served as secretaries of local political and legal committees, while others have had ties to the logistics department of the People's Liberation Army. Both the political and legal committees and the logistics department are known for their roles in the Chinese Communist Party's persecution of dissidents and ordinary citizens. It is important to note that not all of these officials lack ability or talent, nor are they inherently corrupt or malicious. They are individuals who were once part of the world, but after joining the party and becoming officials, they became ensnared in the corrupting influences of the party. In the end, the Chinese Communist Party uses charges of corruption, political discipline, and demands for absolute loyalty to eliminate them, effectively making them scapegoats within the system. If these party officials and members fail to recognize the brutality of the Chinese Communist Party, the future in modern China, which is plagued by both natural disasters and human-made crises, is unlikely to be secure.
(Originally published by the People News)
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