Xi Jinping's ongoing anti-corruption campaign and power consolidation drive the 2026 purge market, with recent expulsions from the Communist Party and military targeting senior Central Military Commission figures including Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli over corruption, factionalism, and political discipline breaches. These moves, announced in September and October 2025 with follow-on actions into 2026, have hollowed out the CMC and hit officers tied to the Eastern Theater Command and earlier promotions. Analysts link the removals to efforts ensuring loyalty ahead of potential Taiwan contingencies and broader PLA modernization. The campaign has also extended to civilian officials and even some prior allies, with investigations announced as recently as mid-October 2026. Upcoming Central Committee sessions and the 2027 party congress could shape further personnel shifts.