Zhang Youxia Purged, NYT: Due to Opposition to Xi Jinping's Promotion of Zhang Shengmin

(Taipei, May 12, Central News Agency) An article in the New York Times analyzing the relationship between Central Military Commission Chairman Xi Jinping and the Chinese military revealed that the trigger for the downfall of Central Military Commission Vice Chairman Zhang Youxia earlier this year was his opposition, along with others, to Xi Jinping's desire to promote Zhang Shengmin, a member of the Central Military Commission, to vice chairman. Zhang Shengmin was appointed vice chairman of the Military Commission in October last year, filling the vacancy left by He Weidong, who was investigated at the time.

The New York Times report, "How Xi Jinping Lost Trust in the PLA Leadership," lengthily analyzed the process and factors of Xi Jinping's rectification of the Chinese military since he took office.

It mentioned that Xi Jinping's anti-corruption campaign in the military, led by Zhang Shengmin, saw his power increasingly expand. However, Zhang lacked actual combat experience but was promoted all the way. Zhang Shengmin served as secretary of the Central Military Commission's Disciplinary Inspection Commission and deputy secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.

The report quoted Christopher K. Johnson, president of the consulting firm China Strategies Group and a former U.S. government intelligence official, as saying that the final trigger was Xi Jinping's desire to promote Zhang Shengmin to vice chairman of the Central Military Commission.

The report stated that Zhang Youxia, with the support of his deputy, General Liu Zhenli, opposed this proposal. Johnson said that Zhang Youxia believed that placing a disciplinary inspection official in such a crucial position would damage the image of the PLA as a serious fighting force.

The report said that in modern Chinese history, there are many cases where generals overestimated their room for maneuver in dealing with leaders, and Zhang Youxia seemed to have made the same misjudgment. Johnson said, "Zhang Youxia thought he could say such things based on his seniority, but it turned out not to be the case."

Earlier this year, Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli were dismissed. The PLA Daily accused them of "severely undermining and trampling" the chairman responsibility system established by Xi Jinping to consolidate his control over the military.

The report said that Xi Jinping views any signs of disobedience as a political threat to his rule. Analysts believe that Xi gradually believes that the commanders he personally selected to advance military modernization are no longer reliable, their loyalty and combat effectiveness eroded by corruption and cronyism.

Analysts said that this turmoil also exposed the tension between Xi Jinping's two goals: combat readiness and political loyalty. Ultimately, Xi Jinping dismissed a general with combat experience who helped reshape the military and replaced him with a person responsible for rectification, who now, along with Xi Jinping, is one of only two remaining members of the Central Military Commission (referring to Zhang Shengmin).

Professor Kou Chien-Wen of National Chengchi University said, "Xi Jinping's rule has slowly entered its latter half," and "his political calculations have changed, and he will be more concerned about his inner circle of confidants."

Former U.S. Department of Defense official Drew Thompson said, "Xi Jinping is caught in a contradiction between 'red' (political loyalty) and 'expert' (professionalism)." Here, 'red' refers to loyalty to the party. (Editors: Lu Chia-Jung / Chen Kai-Yu) 1150512

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