Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign within the People’s Liberation Army has intensified through 2026, with the Politburo on 21 September expelling Central Military Commission Vice Chairman Zhang Youxia and Joint Staff Department chief Liu Zhenli from the party after their January investigations. These removals follow the earlier ouster of multiple CMC members, including He Weidong and Miao Hua, leaving only one uniformed general on the body alongside Xi and resulting in over 70 percent turnover among military Central Committee members since 2022. The Fifth Plenum, set for 26–29 October, occurs amid this turnover and ahead of the 2027 party congress, where analysts note vacancies and loyalty concerns may shape further disciplinary actions across military commands and civilian ranks. The campaign’s focus on discipline violations and political reliability continues to drive scrutiny of senior officials in key sectors.