China expels two top generals over alleged disloyalty and corruption
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China expels Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli over alleged corruption |
BEIJING — September 21, 2026
China has expelled two senior military leaders, Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli, from the Communist Party and the military after authorities accused them of corruption, disloyalty and serious breaches of discipline.
Zhang was a vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), China's top military command body, and had long been regarded as a close military ally of President Xi Jinping. Liu was a CMC member and chief of staff of its Joint Staff Department.
Investigations into both men were announced in January, and they were removed from the state CMC in August. Their expulsions were formally approved at a Politburo meeting chaired by Xi on Monday, according to Chinese state media.
Chinese authorities accused the two former generals of violating political discipline, forming cliques and factions, failing to enforce party rules and improperly supervising staff and family members. Official documents cited by state media also alleged that their political and economic misconduct included corrupt self-enrichment, abuse of office and dereliction of duty.
The authorities described the amounts involved as exceptionally large and said the alleged conduct was extremely serious. These are allegations made by Chinese authorities, and the source material does not provide an independent assessment of the accusations.
The expulsions are part of a wider anti-corruption and discipline campaign that has targeted China's military in recent years. The campaign has led to investigations and removals of a number of senior military officials, leaving only two active members of the formerly seven-member CMC, including Xi, according to reports.
Zhang's removal is particularly notable because he was also a member of the Communist Party's Politburo and one of the few senior Chinese military officers with combat experience. His previous standing in the military made the accusations against him unusually significant within the broader campaign.
The cases involving Zhang and Liu are now expected to be transferred to military prosecutors for examination and prosecution under Chinese law. The announcement comes days before Xi's planned visit to the United States for talks with President Donald Trump and weeks before an October Communist Party meeting focused on internal governance and discipline.
