Full Breakdown
China Expels Two Senior Generals Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
By Drooid · · How we work
Expulsion of Top Military Leaders
On September 21, state media announced that Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli were expelled from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and removed from the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). Zhang, the former vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) and a longtime ally of President Xi Jinping, had been second-in-command of the CMC. Liu, a former member of the CMC and chief of staff of its Joint Staff Department, also held senior command responsibilities.
Background: Xi’s Ongoing Anti-Corruption Campaign
Since assuming power in 2012, President Xi has overseen a sweeping anti-corruption drive that has reached deep into the PLA. Senior officials across the party, government and military have been investigated, and numerous high-ranking officers have been purged. The removal of Zhang and Liu continues a pattern that has seen the military become a focal point of the campaign, leaving only two active members—Xi himself and one other—on the formerly seven-member CMC.
Official Statements & Responses
The agency added that the sums involved were “exceptionally large” and that the impact was “extremely egregious.” Their cases have been transferred to military procuratorial organs for legal review and prosecution, and the expulsions will be ratified at a forthcoming plenary session of the Party’s Central Committee.
Criticism & Opposition
Dennis Wilder, a former CIA China analyst and senior fellow at Georgetown University, noted that while corruption charges are common against senior PLA officers, the addition of disloyalty accusations—particularly the formation of cliques and factions—is “unprecedented” and reminiscent of earlier political campaigns. He argued that the move signals a sharp warning to both senior party elders and the broader military establishment about challenging Xi’s authority.
Verbatim Quotes
- “What's most remarkable about this particular moment is that in the 1980s Zhang Youxia was presented by the party and military propaganda apparatus as proof that yet another generation of young Chinese would prove loyal to the revolution,” — Joseph Torigian, an expert in Chinese politics at American University
- “An investigation revealed that Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli betrayed their original aspirations and mission, became disloyal to the Party, lost their Party spirit and principles, and crossed red lines and bottom lines,” — Xinhua, the official
Data & Statistics
- The investigation cited “exceptionally large sums of money” tied to the generals’ alleged misconduct.
- Both officials were accused of using their positions to facilitate promotions and other benefits in exchange for substantial payments.
What’s Next
The expulsions await formal ratification at the Party’s Central Committee plenary meeting. The announcement came days before President Xi’s scheduled visit to the United States for talks with President Donald Trump and weeks before a key party assembly on internal governance and discipline, suggesting the decisions will feature prominently in upcoming political deliberations.