China has launched a sweeping military corruption investigation, expelling nine senior officers from the army, including the country’s second-highest-ranking general, in the latest phase of President Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign.

According to Defense Ministry spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang, He Weidong, vice chairman of the powerful Central Military Commission (CMC) ,was expelled for "seriously violating" Party discipline. The announcement, published online on Friday, confirmed weeks of speculation surrounding He’s absence from public view since March.

Alongside He, former head of the military’s political work department, Miao Hua, was also named in the statement. Miao was officially removed from his post in June, according to state media. Both men had served on the Communist Party’s elite Central Committee and are now expelled from both the military and the Party.

In total, eight of the nine officials were removed from the Chinese Communist Party, underscoring the scale of the purge. Zhang stated that the investigation reflects "the Party Central Committee and the CMC’s unwavering resolve to persevere in the fight against corruption."

Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign intensifies

Since coming to power over a decade ago, Xi Jinping has made eradicating corruption a central focus of his governance, describing graft as "the biggest threat" to the Communist Party, and said the situation remains "grave and complex."

The CMC corruption scandal now adds to a growing list of military and political figures brought down under Xi’s watch, illustrating the continued reach of his drive to purge the government of corrupt officials

The timing of the announcement is significant. It comes just days before the Communist Party's fourth plenum, scheduled for Monday, where top leadership will meet to discuss China’s economic strategy through 2030. The disciplinary action signals Xi’s intent to clean up the military and Party apparatus as China enters a new phase of economic and political planning.