China expels top PLA officer Zhang Youxia in Xi anti-corruption purge

China's ruling Communist Party on Monday expelled two senior military officials, including the People's Liberation Army's highest-ranking uniformed officer, General Zhang Youxia, from the party and the military over what it called serious violations of discipline and law.

The other official was Liu Zhenli. State-run Xinhua news agency reported that both men were expelled from the Communist Party of China following a decision taken at a party leadership meeting in Beijing. The move comes as President Xi Jinping continues his anti-corruption drive in the military.

Xi, who is serving an unprecedented third five-year term, launched the campaign against both big and small officials, described as "tigers and flies", after taking power in 2012. Under the intensified drive, dozens of senior PLA officers, including two defence ministers, have been removed or punished.

Zhang, 75, and Liu, 61, were placed under investigation in January this year for serious violations of the ruling party's discipline and laws. On Monday, a meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee approved reports by the Central Military Commission on the handling of their cases after deliberation.

General Zhang was the first-ranking Vice Chairman of the seven-member Central Military Commission, the top command body of the Chinese military headed by Xi. His position made him the highest-ranking uniformed officer in the PLA. He was formally detained by military corruption investigators in January and was accused of corruption and of failing to rein in his close associates, family members and relatives.

The Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post had earlier reported that Zhang was also blamed for not flagging problems to the party leadership at the first instance. He was also a member of the 24-member Politburo, the centre of power in the Communist Party of China.

Liu was a member of the Central Military Commission and served as chief of staff of the Joint Staff Department. Zhang and Liu were both decorated war heroes and the only two members of the commission with combat experience. Both took part in PLA campaigns against Vietnam in the late 1970s.

The expulsions of Zhang and Liu mark another major move in Xi's anti-corruption campaign, which has already led to action against several senior PLA officers and top defence officials.