China's ruling Communist Party expelled two of its highest-ranking military officers from the party and the armed forces on Monday, citing corruption, abuse of power, and disloyalty to the leadership.

The Politburo announced the expulsions of Gen. Zhang Youxia, who served as vice chairman of the Central Military Commission and ranked second only to President Xi Jinping in the military hierarchy, and Gen. Liu Zhenli, a Central Military Commission member and former chief of staff of the Joint Staff Department. State media reported that both men were accused of forming cliques, accepting exceptionally large bribes, improperly aiding promotions for others, and failing to supervise relatives and staff.

Their cases have been referred to military prosecutors, a step that typically leads to formal charges. The official Xinhua News Agency described their conduct as crossing "red lines and basic limits," with political and economic violations intertwined.

Investigations into the pair began in January, and they were removed from the Central Military Commission in late August. The moves fit a pattern of purges that have targeted more than 100 senior military officers in recent years under Xi's long-running anti-corruption drive.

Zhang had long been viewed as one of Xi's closest military allies, with shared family backgrounds as "princelings." His removal underscores the emphasis on personal loyalty to the party leader above all else. Xi has repeatedly stressed that no one in the military can harbor disloyalty to the Communist Party.

The expulsions leave the Central Military Commission with fewer active uniformed members than before, highlighting ongoing instability in the People's Liberation Army leadership. Observers note that the inclusion of explicit disloyalty charges, including the formation of factions, marks a notable escalation in the political dimension of these cases.

This latest development comes as Xi consolidates control amid broader challenges facing China's military modernization efforts. The repeated high-level removals suggest persistent issues with graft and factionalism within the armed forces despite years of targeted campaigns.