Chinese general, aged 61 as of January 2026. Head of the joint staff department of the Central Military Commission, overseeing operations, intelligence and training. A veteran of China's war with Vietnam, with close ties to Zhang Youxia.
On January 24th 2026 the defence ministry announced that Liu and Zhang Youxia had been placed under investigation for "suspected serious discipline and law violations". The People's Liberation Army Daily accused the two men of causing "immense damage" to the "political ecology" of the PLA, as well as to the building of its "combat capability". The editorial listed five offences; most notably, the two had "seriously trampled" on the chairmanship system that gives Xi Jinping ultimate authority over the armed forces—a charge many observers interpreted as meaning the generals had sought to undermine Xi. The charge-sheet mentioned violations of law, not—as in earlier military purges—mere disciplinary offences, suggesting Xi perceived the wrongdoing as much more serious than previous cases. The purge was unmatched since an alleged coup attempt in 1971.
'Educational' refers to the process, not the object. Although, come to think of it, some of my teachers could easily have been replaced by a cheeseburger.