UPDATE 1-China expels two top generals from Communist Party in anti-corruption purge

(Adds more details from statement, background) BEIJING, Oct 17 (Reuters) – Two top Chinese generals have been expelled from the ruling Communist Party and the military for "serious violations of discipline and law", the country's defence ministry said on Friday. He Weidong, China's number two general, and Miao Hua, the Chinese army's top political officer, are the most senior military officials to be purged as part of an anti-corruption campaign that has targeted the People's Liberation Army leadership since 2023. He's removal is the first of a sitting general on the Central Military Commission since the 1966-1976 Cultural Revolution. He has not been seen in public since March but the investigation of his activities had not previously been disclosed by Chinese authorities. He, Miao and seven other senior military officials named in the announcement "seriously violated Party discipline and are suspected of serious duty-related crimes involving an extremely large amount of money", defence ministry spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang said. Their offences were "of a grave nature, with extremely detrimental consequences", the statement added. The expulsion of He, 67, has implications beyond the military, as he also sat on the 24-member Politburo, the ruling Communist Party's second-highest echelon of power. One of two vice-chairmen of the commission, the general is the third-most powerful commander of the People's Liberation Army and has been considered a close associate of President Xi Jinping, the army's commander-in-chief. The announcement came just days before the Communist Party's Central Committee, an elite body of 200-plus senior officials, is due to hold its Fourth Plenum in Beijing. More personnel decisions, such as the expulsion of Central Committee members, are expected to be formalised at the meeting. Miao was removed from the Central Military Commission in June after being put under investigation for "serious violations of discipline" last November. (Reporting by Laurie Chen Editing by Gareth Jones)

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