China announced on Friday that it has expelled two senior generals from both the military and the ruling Communist Party, as part of corruption probes targeting nine high-ranking army officials.
The move marks the latest phase of President Xi Jinping’s decade-long campaign to eliminate corruption across all levels of government and the armed forces. It comes just days before a major four-day meeting in Beijing, where top officials are set to discuss long-term economic strategies.
He Weidong, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), was among those expelled for “serious disciplinary violations,” according to defence ministry spokesman Zhang Xiaogang. He has not appeared in public since March, prompting speculation about his fate, although no formal inquiry had been previously confirmed. The statement did not reveal his current location.
Also expelled was Miao Hua, former head of the military’s political work department, who was officially dismissed from his position in June, according to state media.
Eight of the nine officials were also stripped of Communist Party membership, having previously served on its powerful Central Committee.
Xi has long described corruption as “the biggest threat” to the Communist Party, warning that the battle against graft remains “grave and complex.” Supporters argue that the campaign has strengthened discipline and integrity within the system, while critics suggest it is also used to sideline political opponents.
Zhang said the punishment of He Weidong, Miao Hua, and others “demonstrates the Party Central Committee and the CMC’s firm determination to continue the fight against corruption.” He added that the crackdown has produced “significant achievements,” making China’s military “purer, more unified, and combat-ready.”
Miao and He join a growing list of senior officers caught up in Xi’s anti-corruption drive. Former Defence Minister Li Shangfu was dismissed in 2023 after just seven months in office and later expelled from the Party over alleged bribery.
The announcement coincides with preparations for the “fourth plenum” of the Communist Party, scheduled to begin on Monday. The meeting will focus on China’s next five-year economic plan, a blueprint central to Xi’s ambitions for technological independence and enhanced national strength in both economic and military terms.