Zhang Youxia

Zhang Youxia (Chinese: 张又侠; born July 1950) is a Chinese general in the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and first-ranked vice chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC). Born in Beijing, Zhang is the son of General Zhang Zongxun. Joining the army in 1968, Zhang fought in the Sino-Vietnamese War of 1979, and the Battle of Laoshan in 1984, making him one of the few serving generals in China with war experience. In 2000, he became commander of the 13th Group Army. In 2005, he became the vice commander of the Beijing Military Region. He was promoted to commander of the Shenyang Military Region in 2007, and became a member of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party.

In 2011, Zhang was promoted to General. In 2012, he was appointed as head of the PLA General Armaments Department. In 2016, he became the head of its successor, the CMC Equipment Development Department. In 2017, as member of the CCP Politburo, he became the second-ranked CMC vice chairman. In 2022, he became the first-ranked CMC vice chairman. In January 2026, Zhang was detained and became one of the highest-ranking military officers to fall from power since the Lin Biao incident in 1971.