China has expelled two of its most senior military officers from the Communist Party over alleged corruption and disloyalty, state media said on September 21. The officers are Zhang Youxia, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, and Liu Zhenli, chief of staff of its Joint Staff Department. The official Xinhua news agency said both men were disloyal and dishonest to the Party. They were accused of abusing power to secure promotions for others while accepting an enormous amount of money. Both were also accused of failing to supervise their relatives and close staff. Their cases have been referred to military prosecutors. Zhang was second only to President Xi Jinping in the military hierarchy and was long seen as his closest military ally. Liu held one of the top planning posts in the armed forces. The expulsions follow a months-long investigation announced in January. Both men were removed from the Central Military Commission in August. President Xi has repeatedly demanded that top officers be corruption-free and loyal to the Party. The military has been a key target of Xi’s anti-corruption drive since 2012.