Zhang had made no serious attempt to coordinate the resistance of the Fujian fleet, and was demoted by the Empress Dowager Cixi on 19 September 1884 and replaced as Fujian defense commissioner by the veteran general Zuo Zongtang.
Zhang failed to coordinate the Fujian fleet's resistance and was subsequently demoted by Empress Dowager Cixi in September 1884, with veteran general Zuo Zongtang taking over as Fujian defense commissioner.