China's No. 2 general and eight other senior officials have been expelled
from the Communist Party and the military on suspicion of serious official
misconduct linked to corruption.

He Weidong, the vice-chairman of the powerful Central Military Commission, is
the most senior military official targeted in the latest anti-graft drive in
China.

The commission's political work department chief, Miao Hua, was also on the
list. He was put under investigation last November.

Chinese President Xi Jinping's anti-corruption campaign has removed many
officials over the years.

In June last year, China announced that former Defense Minister Li Shangfu
and his predecessor Wei Fenghe were expelled from the Communist Party and
accused of corruption.

A Defense Ministry spokesperson said in announcing the list of disgraced
officials that they were accused of seriously violating the party's
discipline and that their acts involved large sums of money.

He Weidong, who was elevated to the Central Military Commission in 2022,
hasn't been seen in public for months — often the first indication an
official is in trouble.

The announcement came just days before the party holds a major meeting in
Beijing to map out the country's goals for the next five years.

Eight of the nine disgraced military leaders were members of the party's
Central Committee, the 205-member body that meets next week. Their removal
clears the way for their replacement.

AP-JvW