China’s ruling Communist Party has expelled two of the country’s highest-ranking military officers, Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli, following investigations into alleged serious violations of discipline and the law.
State news agency Xinhua reported that the decision was taken by senior party officials in Beijing on Monday, with both men’s cases transferred to military legal authorities for review and possible prosecution.
The investigation reportedly uncovered offences involving exceptionally large sums of money, including accepting large payments for personal gain and using their positions to influence promotions.
Zhang Youxia, the more senior of the two vice chairmen of China’s Central Military Commission, was the country’s highest-ranking general. The Defence Ministry announced in January that both men were under investigation, describing them as suspected of serious violations of discipline and the law.
Their removal marks another major development in President Xi Jinping’s long-running anti-corruption campaign within the military.
Xinhua said investigators found that the two officers had become disloyal to the Communist Party and crossed established red lines.
Both men were stripped of their positions in the state Central Military Commission last month, while their expulsion from the party remains subject to ratification by the Central Committee.
