China’s Ministry of Defense announced the expulsion of nine senior military officials, including Deputy Commander He Weidong and Admiral Miao Hua, for serious corruption-related violations.

The move comes days before the Communist Party Central Committee meeting in Beijing, part of President Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign to clean up the military establishment.

Analysts say the purge reflects concerns about growing power among some army leaders and conflicts of interest in arms procurement and military financing.