Taiwan’s defence ministry said on Monday it is closely monitoring what it described as “abnormal” changes in China’s military leadership after Beijing announced investigations into two of its most senior commanders.
China revealed that Zhang Youxia, vice-chairman of the powerful Central Military Commission and widely regarded as President Xi Jinping’s closest military ally, along with General Liu Zhenli, is under investigation for suspected serious violations of discipline and law. Zhang is one of the few Chinese officers with combat experience, having fought in the 1979 border war with Vietnam.
Taiwan Defence Minister Wellington Koo told lawmakers that while the leadership shake-up is significant, it does not reduce the threat level. “China has never abandoned the use of force against Taiwan,” he said, adding that Taipei will continue to rely on joint intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems to assess Beijing’s intentions.
China has intensified military pressure on Taiwan, sending warplanes and warships around the island almost daily. Late last month, Beijing staged another round of war games, which Taipei views as part of a campaign to force acceptance of Chinese sovereignty claims.
Koo stressed that Taiwan’s military preparedness cannot be relaxed, regardless of personnel changes in Beijing. “We won’t let the downfall of any one person make us lower our guard,” he said. He pointed to China’s rising defence spending, frequent military drills, and ongoing activities as evidence that the threat is worsening.
Taiwan’s government insists that only its people can decide the island’s future. In the meantime, Taipei plans to strengthen intelligence-sharing with partners to track shifts in China’s command structure and focus on early-warning indicators across both military and non-military domains.
This latest development underscores the volatility in China’s leadership and the heightened vigilance in Taiwan as cross-strait tensions remain at their peak.
