The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Daily, the official mouthpiece of China's military, published a commentary on Wednesday confirming the expulsion of two former Central Military Commission (CMC) members. Zhang Youxia, a former vice-chairman of the CMC, and Liu Zhenli, a former CMC member, were removed from the Communist Party and the military following investigations into their conduct. The state-run report characterized the move as a critical action to purge the military of "hidden political dangers."

The CMC serves as the supreme military authority in China and is currently chaired by President Xi Jinping. The official announcement, which followed reports released on Monday, accused both men of engaging in factionalism and demonstrating disloyalty to the party. While the state media narrative emphasizes the necessity of these purges to maintain ideological purity and party control, the report provides limited details regarding the specific actions or events that led to the accusations of disloyalty. The expulsion of such high-ranking figures from the CMC represents a significant shift in the military's internal power structure, signaling a continued effort by the central leadership to consolidate authority and ensure absolute adherence to the party line within the armed forces.