• Two senior Chinese generals, Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli, expelled from the Communist Party.
• Accused of serious violations including corruption and disloyalty.
• This marks a continued effort in Xi Jinping's broader anti-corruption campaign.
• The military is a primary focus of Xi's crackdown since he became president.
• Investigations into the generals began in January, resulting in their expulsion in August.

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has expelled two senior military leaders, Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli, over accusations of serious misconduct including corruption and disloyalty. The state-run Xinhua news agency reported that the generals were involved in forming cliques and factions, violating political rules, and displaying disloyalty to the party, according to official documents released on Monday. This follows an investigation that began in January and culminated in their removal from the Central Military Commission in late August, as part of a broader anti-corruption initiative by President Xi Jinping, which has already targeted numerous high-ranking officials in the military and beyond, according to India Times, South China Morning Post, and Al Jazeera.

Both Zhang and Liu held significant positions within the military hierarchy, with Zhang being Xi’s closest military ally and second-in-command in the Central Military Commission (CMC). The CMC is critical for military decision-making in China, positioning these expulsions as a statement against any factions within the armed forces that threaten loyalty to the CCP, highlights the continued depth of Xi's anti-corruption campaign which began shortly after he took power in 2013. The case illustrates an ongoing effort to maintain political discipline within the military, according to India Times, South China Morning Post, and Al Jazeera.

The expulsion of Zhang and Liu marks a significant point in Xi Jinping's anti-corruption purges, which have seen numerous high-ranking officials held accountable for various offenses. These actions reaffirm the CCP’s stance that there is no tolerance for corruption within the ranks, with over a year of consistent actions resulting in various dismissals of top military officials under suspicion of misconduct. It emphasizes a zero-tolerance approach towards corruption, particularly as it intersects with political loyalty to the party, according to India Times, South China Morning Post, and Al Jazeera.