China expelled two former defense ministers from the ruling Communist Party over alleged corruption Thursday, the latest sign of a secretive crackdown sweeping the country's elite. China expelled two former defense ministers from the ruling Communist Party over alleged corruption Thursday, the latest sign of a secretive crackdown sweeping the country's elite. The two former defense ministers, Li and Wei, were expelled by the party's leadership for "serious violation of party discipline and the law," Chinese state news agencies announced early Thursday. Li was also stripped of his title as state councilor at the time, a rare move — officials from the inner circle of the ruling Communist Party are seldom axed. Wei, who preceded Li as defense minister, was similarly accused Thursday of "accepting money and gifts in violation of relevant rules."

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Persons: Li Shangfu, Wei Fenghe, Li, Xi Jinping, Wei, Xi Organizations: Communist Party, National Congress, Chinese Communist Party, CCP, Political, CCP Central Committee Locations: China, Beijing, United States, Taiwan, Xinhua