China Expels 2 Military Chiefs on Disloyalty, Corruption Charges

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has expelled two military chiefs—including the country’s highest-ranking uniformed officer—and handed them to prosecutors for accusations related to disloyalty and corruption.

Zhang Youxia, former vice chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), was stripped of his CCP membership and removed from the army, according to state-run news agency Xinhua on Sept. 21.

Liu Zhenli, a member of the CMC and the military’s former chief of staff, was also expelled from the Party and the military, Xinhua said. 

The CMC allows the Party to control the country’s armed forces, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), and represents one of the highest echelons of power in China. When China’s top leader, Xi Jinping, unveiled the leadership lineup at the 20th Party Congress in late 2022, two vice chairs and four members sat on the elite body.

Now, only two men remain on the commission: Xi and a general who enforces the political cleansing in the military. 

With the fall of the two senior commanders, the current waves of purges have reached a scale unseen since the era of former CCP leader Mao Zedong. Over the past three years, more than 100 senior military commanders have already been purged, according to a February estimate by the Center for Strategic and International Studies. 

The expulsion of Zhang and Liu was approved by the Politburo, an elite council with 21 members, during a meeting on Monday. This month’s gathering is about a week earlier than its usual schedule, and two days ahead of Xi’s state visit to the United States.

Zhang, also a member of the Politburo, was abruptly placed under investigation on Jan. 24 along with Liu. Both men were accused of serious violations of discipline and laws. Beijing said in a brief statement in August that they had been expelled from the CMC. 

The Politburo revealed more details on the swift dismissal of two top generals in a statement released on Monday.

Zhang and Liu “seriously violated political discipline and political rules, formed cliques and factions, and were disloyal and dishonest toward the Party,” it said.

CCP authorities also accused them of “exploiting their positions to seek gain for others through postings and promotions” and accepting “large sums of money.” 

“An investigation has found that Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli betrayed their original aspiration and mission, became disloyal to the Party, lost their Party spirit and principles, and crossed red lines and bottom lines,” the Politburo said. 

“The nature of the violations was extremely serious, and the effects have been extremely malign,” it said, adding that the cases will be handed to military prosecutors.

Zhang and Liu are among a handful of Chinese generals with battlefield experience. Zhang served in China’s brief war with Vietnam in 1979, while Liu took part in border skirmishes with Vietnam in the 1980s.

This is a developing story and will be updated.