China Expels Two Military Generals Amid Anti-Corruption Campaign

China has expelled two top military generals from the Chinese Communist Party on suspicion of corruption and serious misconduct, as part of an ongoing anti-corruption crackdown led by President Xi Jinping. The generals, Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli, were reported to have 'seriously violated political discipline and political rules, formed cliques and factions, and were disloyal and dishonest to the party,' according to the state-run Xinhua news agency, which cited official documents. Specific details regarding the alleged crimes were not disclosed. Investigations into Zhang and Liu were announced in January, and they were removed from their military positions in late August. Zhang was previously regarded as a close military ally of Xi, serving as the second-in-command of the Central Military Commission (CMC), which is China’s highest military authority. Liu was a member of the CMC and held the position of chief of staff of its Joint Staff Department. The expulsions are part of Xi’s extensive anti-corruption efforts, which have seen thousands of officials purged and millions investigated within the Chinese bureaucracy. This campaign is noted as one of the largest in modern Chinese history, following previous removals of high-profile political rivals. In June 2024, Defence Minister Li Shangfu and his predecessor were expelled from the party as part of this crackdown. Over a year later, the second-highest-ranking general and eight other senior officials from the military and party were also dismissed. The military has increasingly become a focus of these anti-corruption purges, reducing the number of active members on the previously seven-member CMC to just two, including Xi as chairman. The announcement from the Defence Ministry occurred just days before President Xi is scheduled to meet with US President Donald Trump in Washington and weeks ahead of a significant Communist Party assembly concerning internal governance.