Insider Reveals How Zhang Youxia Was Taken From China’s Military Headquarters
Udumbara
.
Detained Inside Military Headquarters
An insider from within the Chinese military told The Epoch Times that Zhang was taken away on the spot just before an internal meeting at the CMC’s headquarters in Beijing. Security arrangements at the venue had been adjusted in advance.The insider said Zhang was unarmed at the time and did not resist arrest. His personal security detail had already been reassigned months earlier, and on the day of the meeting, Zhang’s guards were instructed to remain outside the conference hall.
During Zhang’s arrest, there was a brief physical altercation between on-site personnel and Zhang’s security detail, the insider said, but Zhang himself did not resist and was quickly escorted away. The CCP has not released official details beyond the brief announcement of an investigation.
Disappearance and Downfall
Chinese state television footage shows that Zhang last appeared in state media outlets on Jan. 12, when he attended the Fifth Plenary Session of the CCP’s Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. Liu was also present on that day.The insider said the investigation into Zhang and Liu had been conducted in secret for several months. When the CCP’s top leadership decided to move against them, the case had already been classified internally as involving serious political issues, including allegations of “deviating from the central leadership” and “engaging in separatist activities.”
Beijing on High Alert
Following the official announcement of Zhang’s arrest, security levels across Beijing visibly increased, according to residents who spoke to The Epoch Times.Several said police and armed personnel were deployed more heavily along major roads, including Chang’an Avenue, which runs past key government buildings. Police checks of identification documents were reported both on the streets and inside subway stations.
“The atmosphere has clearly tightened,” said Shi, a Beijing resident who gave only her surname out of fear of reprisal. “There were guards every few steps. There were fewer people and cars than usual, and everything felt tense.”
Shi also noted that some senior CCP leaders have recently been absent from public view, adding to the uncertainty.
“What they’re doing, outsiders really have no way of knowing,” she said.
Other residents reported seeing armed soldiers stationed along certain main roads with government buildings, although no large-scale traffic disruptions were observed.
Unusual Silence in State Media
China observers have also pointed to the unusually restrained way Chinese state media have reported on the case.Chen, a Beijing-based scholar who gave only his surname out of fear of reprisal, told The Epoch Times that coverage of Zhang’s investigation was muted across major official platforms.
“State television mentioned it once during a midday news broadcast, but it was absent from the evening news,” he said. “In [the CCP’s mouthpiece] People’s Daily, the report appeared on an inside page, and some publicly accessible pages were later adjusted.”
Currently, Zhang’s name remains listed among Politburo members on the CCP’s official website. Zhang and Liu also still appear on published lists of CMC members, despite the announcement that they are under investigation.
“That’s highly unusual,” Chen said. “When an investigation has already been announced, you normally see names removed quickly. This ambiguity raises more questions about how the leadership is handling the case involving Zhang and Liu.”
Chen said that even officials within the regime, including senior figures, are unable to offer a clear or consistent interpretation of events.
Ripple Effects Through the Military
A source close to the military told The Epoch Times that the abrupt shake-up points to deeper structural turmoil within the People’s Liberation Army and could have far-reaching consequences.“The CCP regime is in a transition period,” the source said. “And it’s not a positive one. It’s not moving toward greater openness. Instead, it’s a clear regression.”
Zhang and Liu have served in senior military roles for decades, the source noted, and their influence extends well beyond the top leadership through promotion and patronage networks built over time.
“This isn’t just about replacing a few people at the top,” the source said. “It could affect an entire chain of personnel. Officers at the battalion level and above may all be subject to reassessment or removal.”
Even officers who never worked directly with Zhang or Liu could find their careers affected, according to the source, because their professional records are often linked through shared postings, recommendations, or advancement pathways.
“Once the political classification changes, people further down are inevitably implicated—at the very least, their future prospects will be reevaluated,” the source said.
In the short term, the uncertainty is likely to lead to tighter discipline and increased demands for obedience within the military. However, over the longer term, it remains unclear whether such measures will stabilize the system or deepen internal distrust, according to the source.
“For now, the priority seems to be to suppress disorder and keep things from spiraling,” the source said. “Whether they can actually sort it all out—no one is confident.”
