China expels two top generals from Communist Party over disloyalty and corruption
Zhang Youxia, long seen as Xi Jinping's closest military ally, and Liu Zhenli were expelled from the Communist Party and the military over disloyalty and corruption, state media announced on Monday.
China has expelled two of its most senior military officers from the Communist Party and the military over “serious violations of discipline and law”, state-run Xinhua news agency announced on Monday.
Zhang Youxia, who was second-in-command under President Xi Jinping as vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission and has long been seen as Xi’s closest military ally, and Liu Zhenli, a CMC member and chief of staff of its Joint Staff Department, were accused of disloyalty, corruption and dereliction of duty. The pair “seriously violated political discipline and political rules, formed cliques and factions, and were disloyal and dishonest to the party”, Xinhua cited official documents as saying.
The documents said Zhang and Liu “crossed red lines and basic limits”, adding that their “political and economic wrongdoing were intertwined, and corrupt self-enrichment coexisted with dereliction of duty and abuse of office”. No details of specific alleged crimes were given.
Investigations into the pair were announced in January, and both were removed from the military in late August. The expulsions are the latest in Xi’s sweeping anti-corruption crackdown, which has left just two active figures — including Xi as chairman — on the formerly seven-member CMC.
The announcement came days before Xi is set to travel to the US for talks with Donald Trump, and weeks before a key party conclave on internal governance and discipline.
Sources
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