China has expelled two of its most senior military leaders, Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli, from the Communist Party and military service, according to an official announcement published by China’s Ministry of National Defense on September 21.
Zhang had served as vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission, China’s top military command body, and had also been a member of the Communist Party’s Politburo. Liu was a member of the commission and chief of staff of its Joint Staff Department.
The official announcement said a Communist Party leadership meeting approved the Central Military Commission’s reports on the handling of both cases. Investigations into Zhang and Liu had been announced in January.
Reuters, citing official Chinese documents and state media, reported that the leadership accused the two men of serious violations of political discipline and party rules, forming cliques and factions, disloyalty and dishonesty toward the party, corrupt self-enrichment, dereliction of duty and abuse of office.
Those are allegations made by Chinese authorities. The expulsion and referral of the cases to military prosecutors do not by themselves amount to an independent judicial finding proving each allegation.
Reuters reported that the suspected criminal cases will be transferred to military prosecutors for examination and prosecution in accordance with Chinese law.
The removals represent a major change at the top of China’s military leadership. Zhang had been one of the highest-ranking officers below President Xi Jinping in the Central Military Commission, while Liu held a central operational post in the military command structure.