China has expelled two of its most senior generals from the Communist Party and the military, accusing them of corruption, faction-building and political disloyalty in the latest escalation of President Xi Jinping’s sweeping campaign to discipline the armed forces.

General Zhang Youxia was formerly the first-ranked vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission, making him the highest-ranking uniformed officer in China and second only to Xi in the military hierarchy. General Liu Zhenli served on the commission and headed its Joint Staff Department, which is responsible for operational planning and command coordination.

Investigations into both men were announced in January, and they were formally removed from the state Central Military Commission in August. Their expulsions were approved at a Politburo meeting chaired by Xi, and their cases will now be transferred to military prosecutors.

The official accusations extend beyond financial corruption. Chinese authorities said Zhang and Liu formed cliques and factions, violated political discipline, abused their positions and were disloyal and dishonest to the party. They were also accused of accepting exceptionally large sums of money, helping others obtain promotions and failing to supervise relatives and members of their staff.

Neither man has publicly responded to the allegations, and no detailed evidence has been released. China’s political and military disciplinary investigations are conducted internally, with cases generally transferred to prosecutors only after the party has reached its conclusions.

Zhang’s removal is particularly significant because he was widely regarded as one of Xi’s closest military allies. Their fathers were senior revolutionary officers, and Zhang remained in the Central Military Commission beyond the customary retirement age. He was also a Politburo member and one of the few senior Chinese commanders with direct combat experience, having fought during the conflict with Vietnam.

Liu was another rare combat veteran and had previously commanded the People’s Liberation Army Ground Force. As head of the Joint Staff Department, he occupied a central position in China’s preparations for joint military operations.

Their downfall leaves only Xi and vice-chairman Zhang Shengmin serving actively on a commission that originally had seven members. Other senior figures have been removed, expelled or placed under investigation during a purge that has reached the Rocket Force, military procurement system, defence ministry and the commission itself.

Research tracking the campaign has identified more than 100 senior officers who have been purged or potentially removed since 2022. Chinese authorities maintain that the crackdown is necessary to eliminate corruption, improve military discipline and ensure absolute loyalty to the Communist Party.

The scale of the removals has nevertheless raised questions about command continuity and military preparedness. Replacing experienced officers can disrupt institutional knowledge and decision-making, even as it gives Xi greater control over the armed forces.

The accusation that Zhang and Liu formed factions also gives the case an explicitly political dimension. It suggests that the leadership regarded their conduct as a challenge to party unity and Xi’s authority rather than merely a case of personal enrichment.

The expulsions therefore represent more than the removal of two allegedly corrupt officers. They demonstrate that rank, combat experience and proximity to Xi offer no protection when loyalty is questioned, while leaving China’s highest military leadership more concentrated than at any point in the current political era.