The two generals are Zhang Youxia, a former vice chairman of the Central Military Commission and member of the Communist Party’s Politburo, and Liu Zhenli, a former member of the commission and chief of its Joint Staff Department.

The Politburo approved the handling of their cases at a meeting Monday, according to China’s Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. The cases involving alleged criminal offenses were transferred to military prosecutors for further examination and prosecution.

Zhang and Liu had been under investigation since January. China’s Defense Ministry announced last month that both had been removed from the Central Military Commission.

China accuses generals of political and financial misconduct

Chinese authorities said the investigation found that both men had seriously violated political and organizational rules.

The allegations included forming factions, being disloyal and dishonest toward the Communist Party, using their positions to help others obtain promotions and accepting large amounts of money and gifts.

The official disciplinary statement also accused them of failing to properly supervise relatives and close staff members. Chinese authorities said their alleged political and economic misconduct were intertwined and described the amounts involved as exceptionally large.

The accusations are official findings by Chinese authorities. The public statements reviewed do not provide a detailed accounting of the alleged transactions or identify the individuals who allegedly benefited from the generals’ positions.

Zhang’s removal reaches the top of China’s military hierarchy

Zhang’s expulsion is particularly significant because of his position in China’s military leadership.

He served as vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, the body responsible for overall command of the People’s Liberation Army. He was also a member of the Politburo.

Before his removal, Zhang was widely regarded as the second-highest-ranking military official under President Xi Jinping.

Liu held a different but important operational position as chief of the CMC Joint Staff Department. His responsibilities placed him within the senior command structure of the People’s Liberation Army.

Both therefore occupied senior positions within the military system before their investigations became public.

Investigations began in January

The disciplinary process has unfolded over several months.

China announced in January that Zhang and Liu were being investigated for suspected serious violations of discipline and law. The pair were subsequently removed from the state Central Military Commission in August.

The latest decision formalizes their expulsion from the Communist Party and military service.

Their Party expulsions still require formal ratification by a full meeting of the Communist Party Central Committee, according to the disciplinary authorities. Their alleged criminal cases have meanwhile been sent to military procuratorial authorities for legal review and prosecution.

Military purge continues

The action against Zhang and Liu follows a series of investigations and removals involving senior Chinese military officials.

China’s military has been a major target of President Xi Jinping’s broader anti-corruption campaign, which has also affected senior defense officials and members of the Central Military Commission.

The latest cases differ in one notable respect: Chinese authorities explicitly accused Zhang and Liu of political disloyalty and factional activity in addition to financial corruption and abuse of office.

The official disciplinary statement said they had “seriously violated political discipline and political rules” and had formed factions within the Party.

That language places the allegations within China’s broader system of Party discipline rather than treating the cases solely as conventional corruption investigations.

What happens next

The cases now move from Party and military disciplinary proceedings toward the military legal system.

Chinese authorities said the alleged criminal matters would be examined and prosecuted by military prosecutors. The final legal outcome will depend on that process.

The expulsions also come ahead of a scheduled Communist Party Central Committee plenum from Oct. 26 to 29. The Politburo said its Sept. 21 meeting focused on Party governance and discipline in preparation for that gathering.

For now, the immediate consequence is clear: two of the most senior figures in China’s military leadership have been removed following investigations that authorities say uncovered both financial misconduct and violations of political discipline.

The allegations against them remain claims made through China’s official disciplinary and legal process until the subsequent proceedings establish the relevant criminal findings.

Reporting Credit: Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and National Commission of Supervision of China — official disciplinary findings and disposition of the cases; Ministry of National Defense of the People’s Republic of China — official confirmation of the generals’ removal from the Party and military; Xinhua News Agency — official reports on the Politburo decision and military disciplinary proceedings.

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BEIJING, China — Chinese authorities have expelled senior Communist Party official Ma Xingrui from the ruling party after concluding an investigation into alleged corruption and disciplinary violations, making him one of the highest-ranking officials removed under President Xi Jinping’s sweeping anti-corruption campaign.

State media reported Tuesday that Ma, who joined the Communist Party’s 24-member Politburo in 2022, was expelled after investigators concluded he committed multiple violations of party discipline and national law. His removal underscores the campaign’s continued reach into China’s top leadership ahead of next year’s 21st Communist Party Congress.

One of Xi’s Highest-Ranking Targets

Ma is one of only three members of the current Politburo to be removed during Xi’s anti-corruption drive. The other two were senior military generals.

State media referred to Ma as a former Politburo member in Tuesday’s reports, reflecting his removal from one of China’s most powerful decision-making bodies.

Neil Thomas, a China politics specialist at the Asia Society Policy Institute, said the case demonstrates Xi’s continued authority over the party’s senior leadership as preparations begin for the next party congress.

Investigators Detail Alleged Misconduct

Authorities announced in April that Ma was under investigation for what they described as serious violations of party discipline and national law but released few details at the time.

On Tuesday, investigators said Ma accepted money and gifts, engaged in what they described as “power-for-sex” and “power-for-money” exchanges, used his position to secure contracts and promotions for others, ignored alleged misconduct by close aides, and allowed family members to profit from his political influence.

Thomas said the case suggests Chinese officials may face scrutiny not only for their own conduct but also for actions involving relatives and close associates.

Career Spanned Aerospace and Regional Leadership

The 66-year-old served as Communist Party secretary of the Xinjiang region until 2025. He previously served as governor of Guangdong province, China’s manufacturing hub bordering Hong Kong. Under China’s political system, the party secretary is the province’s highest-ranking official and holds greater authority than the governor.

Before entering regional politics, Ma trained as an engineer and spent part of his career in China’s aerospace industry.

Broader Crackdown Continues

China’s anti-corruption agency also announced Tuesday that it had opened an investigation into the official responsible for mine safety in Shanxi province following a fatal coal mine explosion in May.

The latest announcement indicates Beijing continues to pursue corruption and disciplinary investigations across multiple levels of government as Xi’s campaign remains active.

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Officials announced that Valdés died on Sunday but did not disclose a cause of death. The veteran revolutionary was among the small group of leaders who participated in the movement that ultimately brought Fidel Castro to power and shaped Cuba’s political system for decades.

In a statement published by the official news portal Cubadebate, Cuban authorities praised Valdés for what they described as his dedication and loyalty to the revolutionary cause.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel also paid tribute, describing the loss as deeply personal and highlighting Valdés’ longstanding commitment to Fidel Castro and former President Raúl Castro.

Revolutionary Veteran

Born on April 28, 1932, in Artemisa, western Cuba, Valdés became involved in the revolutionary movement at an early age. At 21, he joined Fidel Castro’s 1953 assault on the Moncada Barracks, an event widely regarded as the beginning of the Cuban Revolution.

After the failed attack, Valdés continued to participate in the armed struggle that eventually led to the overthrow of Cuban leader Fulgencio Batista in 1959.

During the revolutionary campaign, he also fought under the command of Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara and later became one of the few individuals granted the title Commander of the Revolution. He was also recognized as a Hero of the Republic of Cuba.

Decades of Influence

Following the revolution, Valdés held several senior positions within Cuba’s government and security apparatus. He served as interior minister and remained a significant figure within the ruling Communist Party.

His political influence diminished after a reported disagreement with Fidel Castro while serving as interior minister in 1986. Following the dispute, Valdés largely disappeared from public life and was no longer considered part of the country’s central leadership circle.

However, his political standing recovered in the following years. In 2003, he returned to the Council of State, marking a significant comeback within Cuba’s leadership structure.

Return to Power Under Raúl Castro

Valdés regained prominence after Raúl Castro assumed presidential responsibilities from his ailing brother in 2006.

One of Raúl Castro’s first major decisions was appointing Valdés to lead the telecommunications ministry. His influence continued to grow, and in 2009 he was elevated to the position of vice president.

Two years later, he was elected as the Communist Party’s third-ranking leader, behind only Raúl Castro and veteran revolutionary José Ramón Machado Ventura.

Despite his senior status, Valdés rarely appeared in public and was known for avoiding media interviews throughout much of his political career.

Legacy Linked to Cuba’s Revolutionary Generation

Valdés briefly re-emerged on the international stage in 1997 when he led a Cuban mission to Bolivia tasked with locating and repatriating the remains of Guevara, who had been killed there three decades earlier while attempting to promote revolutionary movements in South America.

His death marks the passing of another member of the generation that led Cuba’s revolution and shaped the country’s political direction throughout the second half of the twentieth century and into the modern era.

Tags: Cuba, Ramiro Valdés, Fidel Castro, Raúl Castro, Miguel Díaz-Canel, Cuban Revolution, Communist Party of Cuba, Che Guevara

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The policy package, approved Thursday during a Communist Party session, is expected to be submitted to Cuba’s National Assembly for consideration. According to officials, the proposal would expand opportunities for private businesses, grant greater autonomy to municipalities and state-owned enterprises, and introduce measures aimed at attracting additional foreign investment, including from Cubans living abroad.

The document has not yet been made public.

The announcement comes as Cuba confronts a prolonged economic crisis marked by power shortages and growing public frustration. In recent days, residents in several Havana neighborhoods protested recurring blackouts by banging pots and pans.

Government Cites External Pressure

President Miguel Díaz-Canel said the economic package was developed in response to the country’s current challenges and external pressures.

“Cuba resists heroically and creatively, but has endured for too long a barbaric, undeserved and unbearable punishment, to which is now added the threat of military aggression,” Díaz-Canel said in a speech delivered at the close of the Communist Party meeting. The speech was published Thursday.

Cuban officials approved the measures after months of increasing pressure from the United States and a series of high-level discussions between the two countries. Those talks reportedly included Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, grandson of former Cuban leader Raúl Castro.

The United States has maintained sanctions against Cuba and has also indicted Raúl Castro in connection with the 1996 downing of two civilian aircraft operated by Miami-based exiles.

Washington and Brussels Signal Continued Scrutiny

Speaking at a White House briefing, U.S. Vice President JD Vance said Washington was closely monitoring developments on the island.

“We’re going to see what they do. And obviously, if they do one thing, we’re going to do something,” Vance said. “If they make smart decisions, we’re going to have a much better relationship with that island.”

Pressure from Europe also intensified on Thursday when lawmakers in the European Parliament approved a resolution condemning what it described as systematic repression by the Cuban government.

The resolution called for broad economic and political reforms and urged sanctions against Díaz-Canel and the leadership of GAESA, a business conglomerate operated by Cuba’s Revolutionary Armed Forces. Both have already been sanctioned by the United States.

Reforms Draw Inspiration From China and Vietnam

Díaz-Canel said the emergency plan and related policy proposals were influenced by the experiences of China and Vietnam, two communist-led countries that have introduced market-oriented economic reforms while retaining one-party political systems.

The measures will now be presented to Cuba’s National Assembly during a special session that, according to officials, was convened without prior public notice, similar to the recently concluded Communist Party meeting.

The National Assembly is expected to debate the proposals as Cuban authorities seek ways to address economic difficulties while maintaining the country’s existing political system.

Tags: Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel, Communist Party, Economic Reforms, United States, European Union, JD Vance, Havana

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