China removes top generals from state Central Military Commission

China ​on Friday removed ​senior military officers ‌Zhang Youxia ​and Liu Zhenli from their posts in the ‌state Central Military Commission, state-run Xinhua said, citing the Standing Committee of the National ‌People's Congress.

Investigations into Zhang, second-in-command under President Xi ‌Jinping as vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission and a member of China's elite Politburo, ⁠and ​Liu, ⁠CMC member and chief of staff of the CMC's ⁠Joint Staff Department, had been announced in January, ​for suspected serious violations of discipline and ⁠law.

China has parallel Communist Party and state ⁠CMC ​structures. Friday's announcement concerns Zhang and Liu's positions in the state CMC. They ⁠have not been formally or publicly stripped of their ⁠posts ⁠in the Central Military Commission of the ruling Communist Party.