China has expelled Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli from the Communist Party and referred their cases to military prosecutors after investigations found corruption, abuse of office and political disloyalty. Zhang, once the People’s Liberation Army’s top uniformed commander and a former vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission, had been promoted by Xi Jinping and kept in office beyond the customary retirement age. Liu was a CMC member and chief of staff of its Joint Staff Department. Investigators said the generals took exceptionally large bribes, helped others secure promotions and failed to restrain misconduct by relatives and subordinates. The Politburo also accused them of forming a political cabal and betraying the party. Their abrupt removal from military commands in January was followed by formal removal from the state CMC in late August and party expulsions on Monday, making military prosecution highly likely.