- He Weidong and Miao Hua dismissed for serious disciplinary violations.
- Nine senior army officers expelled in latest corruption campaign.
- Xi says the fight against corruption is vital to the survival and unity of the Party.
China said on Friday it expelled two top generals from the military and the ruling Communist Party, as part of corruption investigations into nine senior army officers.
The announcement marks the latest push in a broad campaign to root out corruption at all levels of party and state since President Xi Jinping came to power more than a decade ago.
It also comes just days before a four-day meeting of top officials in Beijing to deliberate long-term economic planning.
He Weidong, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), was one of nine people expelled from the military for having “seriously violated” discipline, according to an online statement by Defense Ministry spokesman Zhang Xiaogang.
He had not been seen in public since March, sparking speculation, although no formal investigation had previously been announced.
The statement did not reveal He’s current whereabouts.
Also expelled was Miao Hua, former head of the military’s political work department, who was formally removed from his position, according to state media reports in June.
Eight of the individuals were also stripped of their membership in the Communist Party, having previously served on its elite Central Committee, Zhang said.
Xi called corruption “the biggest threat” to the Communist Party and said that “the fight against corruption remains serious and complex.”
Proponents say the policy promotes clean governance, but others say it also serves as a tool for Xi to purge political rivals.
“He Weidong’s severe punishment, Miao Hua […] and others demonstrates once again the unwavering determination of the Party Central Committee and the CMC to persevere in the fight against corruption,” Zhang said.
He added that the crackdown represents a “significant achievement in the anti-corruption campaign of the Party and the army.”
It has “contributed to a purer, consolidated, cohesive and combat-ready People’s Army,” he added.
Miao and He are not the only high-ranking military officers who have been affected by Xi’s corruption crackdown in recent years.
Former Defense Minister Li Shangfu was removed from office in 2023, just seven months after taking office, and then expelled from the Party for crimes including suspicion of bribery.
The latest announcement comes as the Communist Party prepares to convene a key meeting on Monday known as the “fourth plenum” focused on economic planning for the five-year period ending in 2030.
That plan will play a central role in achieving President Xi Jinping’s core goals, including technological self-sufficiency and military and economic power.
