Zhang Youxia, former first-ranked vice chairman of China’s Central Military Commission and a longtime Xi Jinping ally, was placed under investigation in January 2026, removed from his posts by August, and formally expelled from the Communist Party and military on September 21 following Politburo approval. Official statements cited intertwined political disloyalty, factionalism, bribery, and dereliction of duty, with his case referred to military prosecutors for prosecution. This latest step in Xi’s extended PLA anti-corruption drive leaves only Xi and one other active member on the commission. While expulsion and referral signal near-certain eventual legal consequences under Chinese procedures, the timeline for formal military trial, conviction, and sentencing remains subject to internal review processes, with no public indication of completion before the end of 2026. Trader consensus on the low probability of sentencing by 2027 reflects these procedural realities amid the ongoing purge.