Zhang Youxia, long-serving vice chairman of the Central Military Commission and a key figure in PLA leadership, was placed under investigation in January 2026 for suspected serious violations of discipline and law amid Xi Jinping’s extended anti-corruption drive targeting senior military officials. He was subsequently removed from his CMC post and other roles, with state media highlighting issues of political cliques and corruption undermining party control over the armed forces. As of mid-2026, however, no public trial, conviction, or custodial sentence has been announced despite the probe’s high profile. Recent reporting indicates Zhang and similar figures have been sidelined without imprisonment, aligning with patterns of internal discipline that often avoid immediate prison terms for elite cadres. This combination of removal without swift judicial action underpins trader consensus that sentencing before 2027 remains unlikely.