Xi Jinping Sets 'Iron Rules' for High-Ranking Chinese Military Officials

China’s Central Military Commission (CMC) has promulgated a new directive that establishes stringent “iron rules” for the conduct, management, and oversight of senior military leaders.

Mary Man

Published: 5/29/2026, 1:13:44 PM EDT

Xi Jinping Sets 'Iron Rules' for High-Ranking Chinese Military Officials — Chinese military delegates walk in a line as they arrive at the second plenary session of the National People's Congress in Beijing on March 8, 2024. (Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)

China’s Central Military Commission (CMC) has issued a new document introducing stringent “iron rules” governing the conduct and oversight of senior military leaders.

Titled Several Measures on Strengthening the Education, Management, and Supervision of High-Ranking Military Cadres, the document consists of 26 articles across seven categories, according to Chinese state media on May 27.

It highlights directives such as “strict management of chief officers to lead by example,” “strengthening the collective leadership of Party committees,” and “adhering to the principle of the Party managing cadres and organizational selection.”

The document stresses the need to “comprehensively govern the Party and the military with strict discipline,” establishing “iron rules” of “strict education, strict management, and strict supervision” within the Chinese military.

Overhauling the Top Brass

Overhauling the Top Brass over the past three years, the massive military purge driven by Chinese leader Xi Jinping has removed one high-ranking PLA official after another, effectively dismantling the top leadership of the Chinese military.

In January this year, CMC Vice Chairman Zhang Youxia and CMC Member Liu Zhenli were placed under investigation simultaneously.

On May 7, two former Defense Ministers, Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu, were sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve (suspended death sentence) on corruption charges.

Of the original seven members of the 20th CCP Central Military Commission, only Xi Jinping and Zhang Shengmin—who was appointed CMC Vice Chairman last year—remain. The other five have all been removed.

In April, Xi addressed a training course for senior military officials, stressing that high-ranking cadres must “understand laws and discipline, observe Party rules, and maintain a sense of awe [to Xi].”

Analysts: Purge May Extend to Lower-level Officials

Analysts interpret the latest CMC measures as a clear signal that the military purge is far from over and may extend to mid- and lower-level officers.

Su Tzu-yun, director of the Division of Defense Strategy and Resources at Taiwan’s Institute for National Defense and Security Research, told the Chinese Edition of The Epoch Times that following Zhang Youxia’s removal, four-star equivalent generals in the PLA have been largely depleted. He anticipates the campaign will now shift toward lieutenant generals and below.

Su said that the core issue within the CCP military is not primarily corruption, but rather Xi Jinping’s drive to consolidate absolute personal control.

“On one hand, so many high-ranking generals getting into trouble shows that Xi Jinping lacks discernment in appointing and judging candidates,” he said. He added that the rapid fall of senior generals could create an experience gap in the PLA that might take “at least five years” to fill.

Mark, a veteran political and military commentator, said that the rollout of these latest regulations to supervise high-ranking generals likely signals another round of arrests ahead of key Party meetings, such as the Fifth Plenum or the 21st National Congress.

He warned that the “iron rules” will have a long-term chilling effect and may also produce another side effect—“tangping”—a Chinese internet buzzword literally meaning lying flat, which refers to a passive quiet quitting or anti-work mentality.