China Expels Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli From Communist Party and Military

On Sept. 21, China officially expelled two of its most senior generals, Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli, from both the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the military, marking another major escalation in a purge that has hollowed out the upper ranks of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

The decision was approved by the CCP Politburo following lengthy investigations into both men, according to Chinese state media. Zhang previously served as vice chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), making him one of the highest-ranking military officials beneath CCP leader Xi Jinping. Liu was a CMC member and chief of the Joint Staff Department, which plays a central role in military planning and operations. The Politburo serves as the country’s top decision-making body.

Both men were first placed under investigation on Jan. 24 for suspected “serious violations of discipline and law.” In August, the National People’s Congress Standing Committee removed Zhang as a state CMC vice chairman and Liu as a state CMC member. No replacements were announced at the time.

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Beijing levels sweeping accusations

The official notice used unusually severe political language. Authorities accused Zhang and Liu of having “seriously violated political discipline and political rules, formed cliques and factions, and were disloyal and dishonest to the party.” Accusations of faction-building carry hefty political weight because they imply the creation of personal power networks outside the Party’s centralized chain of command.

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The pair were also accused of using their positions to assist others with promotions, accepting large sums of money and improper gifts, failing to carry out political responsibilities related to Party discipline, and failing to properly supervise relatives and staff.

According to the official notice, their cases involved “political and economic problems” intertwined with corruption and dereliction of duty, with the amount of money involved described as “exceptionally large.” Their cases will now be transferred to military prosecutors. Zhang and Liu had already been expelled from the military before the Sept. 21 announcement. Their Party expulsions are now expected to be formally ratified at a future Central Committee plenary session.

A dramatic fall for two senior generals

Zhang’s downfall is particularly significant because of both his rank and his longstanding ties to Xi. A combat veteran of China’s 1979 war with Vietnam, Zhang rose to become the first-ranked vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, effectively making him the PLA’s second-most senior figure beneath Xi. He was widely regarded as one of Xi’s closest military allies and had survived earlier rounds of personnel turnover that removed other senior officers.

His removal therefore reaches far beyond the procurement and corruption cases that have already swept through parts of the PLA. It removes one of the few senior commanders with actual combat experience and one of the most powerful figures in China’s military command structure. Reuters described the investigation into Zhang as the highest-profile purge of China’s senior military leadership to date.

Liu also spent much of his career in operational commands and was one of the PLA’s most senior officers with combat experience. As chief of the CMC Joint Staff Department, he sat at the center of military planning and operational coordination, giving him influence well beyond a single service branch. His removal alongside Zhang stripped the leadership of two figures with substantial field-command backgrounds.

Xi’s military leadership shrinks further

The expulsions deepen an extraordinary turnover at the top of China’s military. The CMC formed after the CCP’s 20th Party Congress originally had seven members. Five have since fallen from their posts, including former Defense Minister Li Shangfu, former CMC Vice Chairman He Weidong, former Political Work Department chief Miao Hua, Zhang, and Liu.

That leaves Xi, who chairs the commission, and Vice Chairman Zhang Shengmin as the only active members of what was originally a seven-member body, according to multiple reports. As such, Zhang Shengmin’s position has consequently drawn greater attention. He was promoted to CMC vice chairman in 2025 after previously overseeing military discipline and anti-corruption work.

His absence from the speaking role at this month’s Beijing Xiangshan Forum also attracted notice. Vice President Han Zheng, rather than a CMC vice chairman, delivered the Sept. 15 welcome-banquet address, though Chinese authorities have given no indication that the arrangement reflected any change in Zhang Shengmin’s status.

Purge reaches PLA’s highest levels

Xi has made military discipline and corruption a central focus of his rule, but the scale of the latest removals stands out even within that broader campaign. The allegations against Zhang and Liu go beyond mere financial misconduct, analyst note. Official references to faction-building and disloyalty suggest that Beijing views the case as involving political discipline as well as corruption, although authorities have released few details about the alleged offenses.

For the PLA, the immediate question is how Beijing will rebuild a military leadership structure depleted by successive investigations and removals.