中国官方星期六突然发布重磅消息，证实中共中央军委副主席张又侠，以及负责作战指挥的中央军委委员刘振立，双双落马受查。在中国的军事体制中，张又侠的地位仅次于习近平。

这一消息对政坛的震撼力，远超近年来解放军反腐行动中的任何一宗案件。自2023年以来，中国原国防部长李尚福、原中央军委政治工作部主任苗华，以及另一名原军委副主席何卫东已相继落马。

随着张又侠与刘振立被查，原本七人的中央军委领导班子中，目前仅剩下主席习近平与军委委员张升民两人。这种权力架构的变动，在中国过去30多年的历史上尚属首见。

这场反腐斗争将持续到何时？坊间有关“军事政变”的传言是否真有其事？

这期的早报播客《东谈西论》，听主持人韩咏红与《联合早报》中国新闻资深高级记者于泽远解析解放军这波重磅反腐动作背后的深层意涵。

延伸阅读：

• 于泽远：解放军高层接连落马带来的冲击
• 分析：解放军军中关系网将大洗牌 忠诚度最重要

China’s military leadership has been shaken by the sudden downfall of one of its most powerful figures. Zhang Youxia, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) and the highest‑ranking uniformed officer under President Xi Jinping, is now under investigation for suspected “serious violations of discipline and law.” 

Also under probe is Liu Zhenli, a CMC member and chief of the Joint Staff Department responsible for overseeing the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) joint operations, training and combat readiness. The case has sent shockwaves far beyond Beijing, marking the most dramatic shake‑up yet in Xi’s ongoing anti‑corruption drive within the PLA.

Their downfall follows the earlier purge of another CMC vice chairman, He Weidong, as well as the removal of Defence Minister Li Shangfu and multiple senior commanders since 2023. Beijing officially frames these moves as part of a sweeping anti‑corruption and discipline campaign to tighten Party control over the armed forces. Outside China, however, many analysts see a deeper story involving questions over loyalty, internal factional struggles and the resilience of the PLA’s command system at a time of rising regional and global tensions.

In this episode of the Global Heartbeat podcast, Lianhe Zaobao’s China News Copy Editor Yu Zeyuan joins host Han Yong Hong to analyse the far-reaching consequences of Zhang Youxia's dramatic downfall. 

Hosted by Lianhe Zaobao’s Associate Editor, Han Yong Hong, Global Heartbeat is a Mandarin weekly news and current affairs podcast that is updated every Tuesday, 7.00 PM SGT. It is available on zaobao.sg, Apple Podcast, Spotify and other podcast platforms.