In a significant move underscoring its commitment to military reform and anti-corruption, the Chinese Communist Party has appointed Zhang Shengmin as the second-ranked vice chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC). This appointment follows the expulsion of nine high-ranking generals accused of serious financial crimes, marking one of the largest public crackdowns on the military in decades. Zhang, a trusted loyalist of President Xi Jinping, now holds the third-highest position in the CMC, just below the first-ranked vice chairman and President Xi himself. Zhang, 67, has a distinguished career in the People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force and has been serving as deputy secretary of the CMC’s anti-corruption arm. His promotion is seen as a strategic step to reinforce discipline and eliminate ‘toxic influence’ within the military. The recent purge aligns with the CMC’s July guidelines, which introduced ‘iron rules’ for cadres and emphasized the need for a clean and loyal military force. The appointment was announced at the conclusion of a four-day Central Committee meeting, which also approved a new five-year plan focusing on scientific and technological self-reliance, green transition, and modernizing defense. This plan aims to bolster domestic consumption and mitigate the impact of geopolitical uncertainties and export revenue losses.