beijing china military prepare sweep leadership reshuffle drop top general include two source say investigation corruption change would make room president xi jinping install trust ally key position key party congress begin oct 18. list 303 military delegate communist party congress publish army official newspaper wednesday exclude fang fenghui zhang yang members central military commission commission china top military decision-making body reuters report week 66-year-old fang accompany xi first meet u.s. president donald trump april question suspicion corruption three source familiar matter say zhang director military political work department also subject probe china defense ministry respond request comment personnel change herald clean sweep top-ranking general head department three zhang deputies jia tingan du hengyan wu changde also miss list congress delegate clear message say cheng li expert chinese elite politics brook institution political career come end friday news report carry people liberation army daily official news agency xinhua abruptly refer navy political commissar miao hua political work department director despite official announcement zhang replace role department charge imbue political think make military personnel decisions similar vein communist party organisation department political work department use head xu caihou along fellow former vice-chairman military commission guo boxiong accuse take bribe exchange promotions guo jail life last year xu die cancer 2015 could face trial also among key omissions list publish wednesday du jincai replace military anti-corruption chief march cai yingting leave post head pla academy military science january take account officials likely retire many seven 11 spot military commission may vacate strengthen talk chinese political circle body may streamline xi commander-in-chief china arm force currently chair commission also comprise two vice-chairmen eight committee members two source familiar matter say commission may cut xi four vice-chairmen away committee members streamline report line li brook expert say among likely central army refresh leadership li zuocheng take fang chief joint staff department last month miao three commanders army grind air naval force han weiguo ding laihang shen jinlong fact five newly-appointed year none members communist party 200-odd strong central committee li say reflect extent xi rejuvenate leadership part years-long drive modernize military make ready combat really major step xi jinping consolidate authority promote young professional experience corrupt certainly belong factions guo boxiong xu caihou say sweep change china 's military point firepower xi