China Expels Two Senior Military Leaders Over Alleged Disloyalty and Corruption

China has expelled two of its most senior military officials, Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli, from the Communist Party and the country’s armed forces over allegations of disloyalty, corruption and other serious disciplinary violations.

The decision was announced on Monday in an official statement, marking another major development in President Xi Jinping’s long-running campaign against corruption and indiscipline within the Chinese military.

Zhang, who previously served as vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), was one of the most powerful figures in China’s military establishment and was widely regarded as one of President Xi Jinping’s closest military allies.

Liu was also a member of the CMC and served as chief of its Joint Staff Department.

Investigations into the two officers were first announced in January. They were subsequently removed from the state Central Military Commission in late August.

Since Xi came to power in 2012, his administration has carried out a sweeping anti-corruption campaign across China’s political, government and military institutions.

Millions of officials have been investigated, while numerous senior figures have been removed from office or expelled from the Communist Party.

The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has increasingly become a major focus of the campaign, with a series of senior military commanders investigated and dismissed in recent years.

Accused of Forming Factions
According to China’s state-run Xinhua news agency, Zhang and Liu were accused of violating political discipline, disregarding party principles and failing to properly supervise officials, staff and members of their families.

The official documents reportedly accused the two men of forming “cliques and factions” and being disloyal and dishonest toward the Communist Party.

Authorities also alleged that the pair were involved in corruption, abuse of office and dereliction of duty, with the investigation finding that their alleged political and economic misconduct were connected.

Chinese authorities described the alleged financial misconduct as involving exceptionally large sums and said the overall nature and impact of the violations were extremely serious.

While corruption investigations involving senior PLA officers are not unusual, analysts said the allegations of political disloyalty and faction-building were particularly significant.

Dennis Wilder, a former CIA China analyst and senior fellow at Georgetown University, said the accusations were notable because allegations of forming factions could indicate concerns within the Chinese leadership about challenges to Xi’s authority.

He said the accusations were reminiscent of political struggles during the era of former Chinese leader Mao Zedong and could send a strong warning to senior party figures and military officials against challenging Xi’s leadership.

Zhang’s Military Background
Zhang, who also served on the Communist Party’s powerful Politburo, was among a small number of senior Chinese military officers with direct combat experience.

Joseph Torigian, an expert on Chinese politics at American University, said Zhang had previously been portrayed by Chinese Communist Party and military propaganda as an example of loyalty to the revolutionary tradition.

Torigian noted that Zhang’s current expulsion represented a significant reversal, as he now faces accusations of corruption and materialism similar to those levelled against other senior officials who have fallen during Xi’s anti-corruption campaign.

The expulsions were formally approved at a Politburo meeting chaired by Xi on Monday, according to Chinese state media.

Xinhua reported that suspected criminal cases involving the two former military leaders would be transferred to military prosecutors for further investigation and possible prosecution in accordance with Chinese law.

The development comes shortly before Xi is expected to travel to the United States for talks with President Donald Trump. It also comes ahead of a key Communist Party meeting scheduled for October focusing on internal party governance and discipline.

The latest expulsions further highlight the continuing shake-up within China’s military leadership and the central role of political discipline and loyalty in Xi’s administration.

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