China has expelled senior generals Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli from the Communist Party and military after investigations found alleged disloyalty, corruption and serious disciplinary violations, marking another major change at the top of the People’s Liberation Army.
Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli expelled from party and military
China’s Ministry of National Defense said on September 21 that Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli had been expelled from the Communist Party of China and military service following a decision by the party leadership. Zhang had served as a Politburo member and vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, while Liu was a CMC member and chief of staff of the Joint Staff Department.
The pair had been under investigation since January. China’s legislature removed Zhang from his state CMC vice-chairmanship and Liu from the commission in late August, before the latest party disciplinary decision.
Disloyalty and faction allegations stand out
The official Xinhua statement said investigators found that Zhang and Liu had violated political and organizational discipline, formed “cliques and factions,” acted dishonestly toward the party and used their positions to help others gain promotions in exchange for large sums of money. They were also accused of accepting gifts and money improperly and failing to supervise relatives and close staff.
Chinese authorities said the cases involved both political and economic misconduct and described the amount of money involved as exceptionally large. The alleged criminal matters have been transferred to military prosecutors for further handling.
The charge of disloyalty has drawn particular attention because it goes beyond standard graft allegations. Some outside analysts describe the removals as part of a wider military purge, while Chinese authorities frame them as an extension of the party’s anti-corruption and discipline campaign. Those are different interpretations of the same personnel upheaval rather than an established conclusion about motive.
Xi Jinping’s military leadership sees further turnover
The expulsions follow the removal of several other senior PLA officials in recent years, including former CMC members He Weidong, Li Shangfu and Miao Hua. The repeated investigations have significantly reduced the number of officials remaining from the seven-member Central Military Commission selected in 2022.
President Xi Jinping has publicly linked the investigations to his broader anti-corruption campaign, which has targeted both civilian and military officials since he came to power. Beijing argues that the campaign strengthens discipline and combat readiness, while some outside analysts say the scale of removals also raises questions about internal trust and command continuity.
Military prosecutors to handle alleged crimes
The next stage will move from party discipline to the military legal system. Xinhua said the suspected criminal violations involving Zhang and Liu were referred to military prosecutors for review and prosecution. Their expulsions from the party will also be submitted for formal confirmation at a future Central Committee plenary session.
The case is significant because Zhang was once among the most powerful uniformed figures in China and widely regarded as a close military ally of Xi. His fall, together with Liu’s, underscores how deeply the anti-corruption campaign has reached into the PLA’s senior command structure.
