China has expelled two of its most senior military officers, Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli, from the ruling Communist Party over alleged serious violations of discipline and the law.
State news agency Xinhua reported on Monday that senior officials meeting in Beijing decided to remove the two generals from the party and refer their cases to military legal authorities for further investigation and prosecution.
Zhang was the more senior of the two vice chairmen of China’s Central Military Commission, making him the country’s highest-ranking military officer.
His removal is a significant development in President Xi Jinping’s long-running anti-corruption campaign within the Chinese military.
The Chinese Defence Ministry announced in January that Zhang and Liu were under investigation for suspected serious violations of discipline and the law, a phrase commonly used by Chinese authorities in corruption cases.
According to Xinhua, investigators found that the two officers had become disloyal to the Communist Party and crossed what authorities described as red lines.
The allegations include forming cliques, accepting large sums of money for personal benefit and using their positions to assist others with matters such as promotions.
Xinhua said the cases involved “exceptionally large sums of money.”
Zhang’s downfall has attracted particular attention because of his senior position and his perceived close ties to Xi.
The two generals were stripped of their positions on the state Central Military Commission last month.
Their expulsion from the Communist Party will still require formal ratification at a plenary session of the party’s Central Committee.
Xinhua said the decision demonstrated the authorities’ position that corrupt officials would not be allowed to hide within the military.
The latest action comes as Xi continues efforts to strengthen discipline and tackle corruption within China’s armed forces and the wider Communist Party.
