China Intensifies Military Purges, Engages Taiwan's Opposition in Renewed Dialogue

PLA Leadership Under Scrutiny Amid Broad Anti-Corruption Drive

Chinese General Secretary Xi Jinping has launched investigations into two of the People's Liberation Army's (PLA) most senior officers, General Zhang Youxia and General Liu Zhenli. The Ministry of National Defense confirmed on January 24, 2026, that both are under investigation for 'suspected serious discipline and law violations'.

Zhang Youxia, a Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) and a Politburo member, was considered the PLA's second-highest uniformed officer and a close ally of Xi Jinping. Reports from the Wall Street Journal have accused him of leaking nuclear secrets to the United States. Liu Zhenli serves as a CMC member and chief of staff of the CMC Joint Staff Department, overseeing critical areas such as combat operations and intelligence.

These investigations are viewed by analysts as a move to consolidate Xi Jinping's power and address perceived political threats or obstacles to his military modernization goals, rather than solely focusing on corruption. Editorials in the official PLA newspaper have implied political motivations behind these purges, distinguishing them from previous cases where explicit corruption charges were made.

The current probes are part of a broader, long-running anti-corruption campaign initiated by Xi Jinping in 2012. This campaign has seen significant action in recent years:

• In October 2025, nine senior officers, including then-CMC Vice-Chairman General He Weidong, were expelled from the Party and military ranks for 'serious violations of discipline and law' and 'major duty-related crimes' involving substantial sums of money.
• Former Defense Ministers Li Shangfu (2023-2024) and Wei Fenghe were also removed on corruption charges.
• Over the past three years, more than 20 senior military leaders have been removed or have disappeared from public view.
• In 2025 alone, a record 983,000 individuals were disciplined for violations across the Chinese Communist Party, an increase from 889,000 in 2024.

CCP Resumes Dialogue with Taiwan's Kuomintang

In a significant development for cross-strait relations, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) engaged in an exchange with Taiwan's main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), for the first time since 2016. A KMT delegation, led by Deputy Chairman Hsiao Hsu-tsen and comprising 40 experts from the KMT-affiliated National Policy Foundation, visited Beijing from February 2 to 4, 2026.

During the exchange, Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Chairman Wang Huning, a key CCP official for Taiwan policy, met with the KMT delegation on February 4. Song Tao, director of China's Taiwan Affairs Office, also hosted the delegation.

The discussions, framed as a 'think tank forum,' focused on non-political areas such as tourism, economic cooperation, medical training, environmental protection, energy, and artificial intelligence. Both parties reiterated adherence to the '1992 Consensus' and opposition to 'Taiwan independence.' However, Hsiao Hsu-tsen acknowledged differing interpretations of 'one China' under the Consensus.

Following the meetings, Beijing announced an easing of travel restrictions, allowing Shanghai residents to visit Taiwan-controlled Matsu and Kinmen islands. The forum concluded with a joint statement outlining 15 proposals across five key areas of cooperation. This renewed engagement is seen as a potential avenue for the CCP to influence Taiwanese politics and has drawn criticism from Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).