Reports emerged over the past two hours indicating that purges within China's People's Liberation Army are intensifying, with senior generals Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli now under investigation, according to a Sinocism newsletter titled "PLA purges intensify: Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli under investigation," shared by X user @niubi. The Sinocism analysis, posted on X between 9:16 a.m. and 11:16 a.m. UTC on January 26, 2026, states that the purge may expand to associates of Zhang and Liu, targeting networks within the PLA amid ongoing political rectification efforts. This builds on earlier X posts by MsMelChen detailing multi-year purges focused on the Rocket Force and naval leadership. @niubi's post references expectations of increased stress and education campaigns inside the PLA, noting potential impacts on personnel decisions ahead of the 21st Party Congress scheduled for 2027. MsMelChen previously highlighted Zhang Youxia's background as the son of a PLA founding member and a decorated veteran of the 1979 Sino-Vietnamese War and border clashes.
