China has expelled top generals Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli from the Communist Party and military, accusing them of disloyalty, corruption and forming factions.
China has expelled two top military leaders, Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli, from the Communist Party and the military, accusing them of disloyalty, corruption and other serious disciplinary violations.
The move comes days before Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to travel to the United States for talks with President Donald Trump and weeks before a key October Communist Party gathering on internal governance and discipline.
Xi’s Closest Military Ally Among Those Expelled
Zhang was the second-in-command under Xi as vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), China’s supreme military command body, and had long been viewed as Xi’s closest military ally. Liu was a CMC member and chief of staff of its Joint Staff Department.
Investigations into Zhang and Liu were announced in January, and both were removed from the state CMC in late August. Their expulsions were formally approved during a Politburo meeting chaired by Xi on Monday, according to state media.
China Accuses Generals Of Disloyalty, Forming Cliques
Chinese authorities accused the two former military leaders of violating political discipline and party rules, forming cliques and factions, and being disloyal and dishonest to the party.
State-run Xinhua also said their alleged political and economic wrongdoing included corrupt self-enrichment, dereliction of duty and abuse of office, with the sums involved described as exceptionally large.
The allegations of disloyalty are notable because corruption investigations have become a recurring feature of Xi’s broader crackdown, while accusations of forming factions have drawn particular attention from analysts.
Military Purge Leaves CMC With Two Active Members
The military has increasingly become a target of Xi’s anti-corruption campaign, which has investigated millions of people across China’s bureaucracy and ensnared numerous senior party, government and military officials.
A series of investigations and expulsions has left just two active figures on the formerly seven-member CMC, including Xi, who serves as chairman.