In November 2012, as is customary for the directors of the "four big departments" of the PLA, Zhang was named a member of the Central Military Commission.

[6] In October 2017, Zhang was named as a member of the Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party and the second-ranking vice chairman of the CCP Central Military Commission.

[5][7] According to South China Morning Post in November 2021, Zhang headed the anti-ship missile testing programme including a weapons-testing range with a mock-up US aircraft carrier.

[9] He met with Pakistani Chief of Army Staff Qamar Javed Bajwa, where both sides pledged to increase military ties.

[12] In October 2023, Zhang addressed the Beijing Xiangshan Forum by saying the PLA would "show no mercy" against any moves towards Taiwanese independence.

[14] At the 19th Western Pacific Naval Symposium in Qingdao in April 2024, Zhang called for abandoning "cold war mentality" and promised "firm countermeasures against unreasonable provocations" in the South China Sea.

[16] He visited Vietnam in October, where he met with Communist Party General Secretary Tô Lâm, President Lương Cường, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính and Defense Minister Phan Văn Giang, saying the two countries were "making new progress" in defense relations.