Xi Jinping Removes 101 Military Officers, Appoints Two Loyalists to Top PLA Posts

Xi Jinping Promotes Two Loyalists as China Reshuffles Military Leadership After Purge of Over 100 Officers

Chinese President Xi Jinping has promoted two trusted military officers to the rank of general in the latest phase of a sweeping overhaul of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), following the removal or disappearance of more than 100 senior officers over the past three years.

The promotions of Zhang Shuguang and Wang Gang come as Beijing seeks to fill key vacancies created by an extensive anti-corruption campaign and leadership shake-up that has reshaped the PLA’s top command since 2022.

According to the Washington-based think tank CSIS, at least 101 senior military officers have either been removed from their posts or disappeared during the period, leaving several important positions vacant within China’s military leadership.

Xi Tightens Grip on PLA

The changes have significantly altered the composition of the seven-member Central Military Commission (CMC), China’s highest military decision-making body headed by Xi Jinping. With several seats vacant following dismissals and investigations, Xi and Vice Chairman Zhang Shengmin are currently the dominant figures overseeing the commission.

CSIS estimates that the PLA has around 176 top leadership positions, including the CMC, theatre commands and deputy theatre command posts. The removal of more than half of these senior officials in recent years underscores the scale of the restructuring.

Analysts say the reshuffle reflects Xi’s long-standing effort to strengthen political control over the armed forces while improving combat readiness through an anti-corruption campaign.

Who Are the Newly Promoted Generals?

Wang Gang, 61, has been appointed Chief of the Air Staff of the PLA. A former fighter pilot, he is expected to oversee key aspects of China’s air operations, including deployments, transport aircraft, drones and missile support. His appointment comes amid heightened military activity around Taiwan and continuing tensions along the India-China Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Zhang Shuguang, 67, has been placed in charge of the CMC’s anti-corruption investigation unit. The role gives him responsibility for overseeing corruption probes within the armed forces and positions him as a potential candidate for one of the vacant seats on the Central Military Commission.

Leadership Gaps Raise Questions

The military reshuffle follows a period in which several senior commanders disappeared from public view or were removed amid corruption investigations.

Some analysts believe the vacancies affected operational coordination. Reports have suggested that delays in military exercises conducted around Taiwan in 2025 were partly linked to disruptions within the PLA’s command structure, although Chinese authorities have not publicly confirmed those assessments.

Why the Military Matters to Xi

Since assuming power, Xi has undertaken the most extensive military reforms in decades, restructuring the PLA, streamlining its command system and expanding anti-corruption investigations across the armed forces.

Political analysts say the campaign reflects Xi’s belief that absolute loyalty from the military is essential to the Communist Party’s control. In 2024, Xi reiterated that the military must remain firmly under the Party’s command, reinforcing his emphasis on political discipline within the PLA.

With nearly two million personnel, China’s military is the world’s largest standing armed force and the second-largest military spender after the United States. Analysts view the latest promotions as another step in Xi’s effort to consolidate authority over the PLA while filling leadership gaps created by years of investigations and personnel changes.