Two of China’s princeling generals retire as part of Xi Jinping’s leadership reshuffle
Veterans' departure shows Xi Jinping is in full control of PLA personnel, says analyst
Two princeling generals from the People’s Liberation Army have left their positions as part of an ongoing leadership reshuffle.
Generals Zhang Haiyang and Liu Xiaojiang retired as the political commissars of the PLA Second Artillery Corps and navy respectively.
Zhang is the son of former Central Military Commission deputy chairman Zhang Zhen, while Liu is former party general secretary Hu Yaobang’s son-in-law and the son of Red Army veteran Liu Haibin.
Both generals turned 65 – the army’s maximum retirement age – late last year, Beijing-based military analyst Li Jie said.
“The retirement of Zhang Haiyang and Liu Xiaojiang shows that all leaders, regardless of their backgrounds, have to abide by the maximum retirement age. None can be exempted,” Li said.
The analyst said the move was also related to the ongoing anti-corruption campaign initiated by President Xi Jinping, who is also CMC chairman.
“It’s one of the moves to implement deeper reform in the army to prevent corruption and to transform the PLA into a modern army,” he said.