**Zhang Youxia, the former senior vice chairman of China’s Central Military Commission and a key figure in the People’s Liberation Army, was placed under investigation in January 2026 for serious violations of discipline and law, then formally removed from his state CMC posts by the National People’s Congress Standing Committee in August 2026.** This occurred amid Xi Jinping’s extended anti-corruption and political rectification campaign targeting PLA leadership, which has already led to the removal or expulsion of multiple senior officers, including former defense ministers who received suspended death sentences (typically converted to life imprisonment) in May 2026. Chinese military justice proceedings for officials at this level generally involve internal party processes, expulsion, and then closed military court reviews that unfold over extended periods rather than rapid public trials. Comparable high-profile cases have required more than a year from investigation to sentencing. With Zhang’s formal removal only finalized in late August 2026 and no public indication of completed judicial proceedings as of mid-September, the timeline makes a sentence before the end of 2026 unlikely under established patterns. Traders’ strong consensus on the negative outcome aligns with these procedural realities and the deliberate pace of accountability mechanisms in the Chinese system.