beijing close ally president xi jinping expect promote vice chairman china central military commission four source say xi cement control arm force zhang youxia 67 one senior military officer combat experience tip become one least two vice chairmen commission source include three direct tie leadership tell reuters xi chairman commission overall control people liberation army well nation president general secretary communist party china zhang would replace fan changlong expect retire 19th communist party congress begin wednesday vice chairman xu qiliang expect stay source say xi zhang northwestern province shaanxi children former senior officials fight together civil war 1940s china defence ministry respond fax request comment party study proposal increase number vice chairmen military commission two four reduce number committee members currently eight source say xi shake commission military since assume power late 2012 root corruption streamline million-strong arm force world large 300,000 troop lay advance new equipment stealth fighters develop china fight war decades take increasingly assertive line dispute east china sea south china sea well self-ruled taiwan claim china two outgo members commission currently investigation suspect graft source tell reuters though government yet confirm first time military face corruption issue previous vice chairman guo boxiong jail life graft last year another former vice chairman xu caihou die cancer 2015 could face trial allege corruption zhang currently eighth-ranked member 11-man military commission zhang also expect promote communist party 25-member politburo one elite rule body three source say one source tie leadership say father xi zhang xi zhongxun zhang zongxun close two father fight together civil war end 1949 communist victory proclamation people republic china men rise senior position government military second generation two families also close source add refer xi zhang bear beijing zhang youxia join army 1968 rise rank join military commission late 2012. fight vietnam brief border war 1979 china launch punishment vietnam invade cambodia previous year oust beijing-backed khmer rouge zhang 26 send frontlines fight vietnamese perform well quickly promote accord state media also fight another border clash vietnam 1984. battle whether attack defend zhang youxia perform excellently official china youth daily write august piece entitle chinese general kill enemy battlefield another officer recently promote li zuocheng name chief joint staff department people liberation army august also fight 1979 war li also likely become one commission vice chairmen unclear also join politburo source say one source tie military say zhang reputation base northeastern china walk around base dress civilian clothe prompt challenge junior soldier recognize put air like get dirt ordinary soldier know live like live eat say source speak condition anonymity sensitivity matter china combat veteran close ally xi get promotion source