China expels two top ‘disloyal’ military leaders from Communist Party

Key Points:

• China has expelled two senior military generals, Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli, from the Chinese Communist Party due to allegations of corruption, political disloyalty, and factionalism, as part of President Xi Jinping's extensive anti-corruption campaign.
• Zhang Youxia, previously Xi’s close ally and second-in-command of the Central Military Commission (CMC), and Liu Zhenli, a CMC member and chief of staff of its Joint Staff Department, were removed from military roles in August following investigations announced in January.
• The anti-corruption crackdown has led to the purge of thousands of officials across the Chinese bureaucracy, including high-profile military and political figures, marking one of the largest such campaigns in modern Chinese history.
• Recent expulsions include Defence Minister Li Shangfu and his predecessor, reflecting a growing focus on cleansing the military, which now has only two active members on the seven-member CMC, including Xi as chairman.
• The announcement precedes President Xi’s upcoming meeting with US President Donald Trump and a major Communist Party assembly focused on internal governance, underscoring the political significance of the timing.