China expels former top military leaders over alleged disloyalty

China’s Communist Party has expelled former senior military figures Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli from the party and the armed forces, state media reported, according to the South China Morning Post. The party accused the two men of factionalism and disloyalty following a Politburo meeting on Monday. The supplied material does not detail the conduct behind those accusations or describe the proceedings that led to the expulsions.

Zhang previously served as a vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission, China’s highest military decision-making body. He was also the country’s highest-ranking uniformed military official, ranking second only to Chinese leader Xi Jinping, according to the report. The available material identifies the Central Military Commission as the top decision-making institution for China’s military.

It does not provide Liu’s former position or explain whether the two men remain subject to any further proceedings. The report also does not include comments from Zhang, Liu or their representatives. No additional information was supplied about the timing of their removal from military roles, the impact on the commission or the broader consequences of the party decision.

The expulsions were reported after the Politburo meeting, with the allegations attributed to the Communist Party and the account of the decision attributed to state media.