The expulsions of Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli, a Central Military Commission (CMC) member and chief of staff of its joint staff department, were announced by state news agency Xinhua following a meeting of top officials in Beijing, according to ABC News. The two had been under investigation since January for "serious violations of discipline and the law," a common euphemism for corruption, when the defence ministry first announced the probe.
The leadership accused the pair of disloyalty, corruption, dereliction of duty, and forming cliques and factions. An investigation found their "political and economic wrongdoing were intertwined," with officials stating the sums involved were "exceptionally large" and the impact "extremely egregious." Xinhua added that the two used their positions to help others with job promotions. The cases have been transferred to military legal organs for review and prosecution, and the expulsions will require ratification at a plenary session of the Party's Central Committee.
Zhang, who was previously stripped of his CMC positions last month, had been seen as one of Xi's most trusted military figures, making his fall from grace particularly striking. Liu was also removed from his CMC post last month.
The decision is part of a broader anti-corruption campaign Xi ordered in 2021, which has targeted the military as a major focus. Xinhua cited the move as reaffirming that "there is absolutely no place for corrupt elements to hide within the military." Xi has described graft as "the biggest threat" to the party, saying, "The fight against corruption remains grave and complex."
The announcement came just days before Xi is expected to travel to the US for talks with President Donald Trump, and weeks before a key October party meeting on internal governance and discipline.