By Web Desk
Beijing
The Chinese Communist Party leadership has formally expelled General Zhang Youxia and General Liu Zhenli from both the ruling party and the military, state media announced on Monday, marking an unprecedented purge at the very apex of the People's Liberation Army command structure.
The expulsions, approved during a high-level meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee on September 21, strip two of the country's most powerful uniformed commanders of their military ranks and party status. The party leadership concluded that both commanders committed severe violations of political discipline and state laws, characterized by disloyalty, the formation of self-serving factions, and the acceptance of exceptionally large sums in corrupt bribes.
Allegations of Factionalism and Massive Bribery
According to official statements carried by the state-run Xinhua News Agency, investigators determined that General Zhang and General Liu had fundamentally compromised party integrity. Official findings indicated that both officers were disloyal and dishonest toward the party organization, actively organized cliques and factions, and used their command positions to secure unauthorized personnel promotions and commercial advantages in exchange for substantial kickbacks.
The party leadership confirmed that the evidence against both generals has been formally transferred to military procuratorates for criminal review and court-martial proceedings. The official communique stated that the offenses blurred the lines between political wrongdoing and economic corruption, inflicting severe damage on the armed forces and the party's institutional governance.
Unprecedented Purge in the Central Military Commission
General Zhang Youxia, 76, served as the first-ranked vice chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) and held a seat on the 24-member Politburo. Widely regarded for years as one of President Xi Jinping's closest and most influential military confidants, Zhang was one of the few high-ranking PLA commanders with actual combat experience, having served during border conflicts with Vietnam in the late 1970s and 1980s.
General Liu Zhenli, 62, served as a member of the Central Military Commission and Chief of Staff of the CMC Joint Staff Department, overseeing operational planning and troop deployment across all branches of the armed forces. Both commanders had initially come under formal disciplinary investigation in January 2026. In late August, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress stripped both men of their state military posts and disqualified them as national legislative deputies, paving the way for Monday's final party expulsion.
Consolidation of Authority and Regional Impact
The downfall of Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli represents the most consequential shakeup in the Chinese military hierarchy since President Xi launched his signature anti-corruption drive across the party and armed forces in 2012. Over the past two years, the anti-graft campaign has systematically targeted high-ranking figures across the PLA Rocket Force, defense procurement apparatus, and former defense ministers, including Li Shangfu and Wei Fenghe.
International security analysts note that extending the crackdown to the senior-most CMC leadership demonstrates an unyielding commitment to enforcing absolute political loyalty, even at the cost of sweeping command transitions within the PLA during a period of complex regional tensions across the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea. Readers can follow developing regional security developments and international diplomatic analysis through INPK world news coverage as Beijing prepares subsequent command appointments.