China expels two top generals from party and military, alleging disloyalty, corruption

BEIJING — China has expelled two high-ranking military officers, Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli, from both the Communist Party and the military due to severe breaches of discipline and law, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency on Monday. Zhang Youxia, who served as the second-in-command under President Xi Jinping as vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission, the supreme command body, and was considered Xi's closest military ally, was implicated in serious violations.

Liu, a member of the Central Military Commission and chief of staff of its Joint Staff Department, also faced accusations. The military has been a primary focus of a broader corruption crackdown initiated by Xi in 2012. Investigations into Zhang and Liu were launched in January, and they were removed from the Central Military Commission in late August.

The Chinese leadership accused the pair of disloyalty, corruption, dereliction of duty, and other grave disciplinary offenses. Xinhua cited official documents stating that Zhang and Liu had "seriously violated political discipline and political rules, formed cliques and factions, and were disloyal and dishonest to the party." They "crossed red lines and basic limits."