China's President Xi Jinping has promoted 10 senior military and armed police officers to general, the highest rank for officers in active service, in the midst of his anti-corruption campaign.
The promoted officers included Deputy Chief of General Staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Wang Guanzhong, deputy head of the PLA's General Political Department Yin Fanglong, PLA Navy Political Commissar Miao Hua, as well as Song Puxuan, Liu Yuejun, Zhao Zongqi and Li Zuocheng, commanders of the Beijing, Lanzhou, Jinan and Chengdu Military Area Commands respectively.
Also promoted are Zhang Shibo, president of the PLA National Defence University, and Wang Ning, commander of the armed police force, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
At a promotion ceremony yesterday, Jinping, who is also chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), presented the officers with certificates of command and expressed his congratulations.
The promotions came just a day after former CMC vice- chairman Guo Boxiong had been expelled from China's ruling Communist Party and would face prosecution for alleged corruption.
About 25 top generals including two vice-presidents of CMC have also been investigated for corruption charges.
Experts say Jinping was using the "carrot and stick" approach to warn all senior military officials to stay clean and loyal to the party and send a message that he was determined to turn the country's army into a modern force.
The promotions highlight Jinping's determination to clean up the military and that he would be fair to those who were loyal to him, a retired senior colonel was quoted as saying by the South China Morning Post.
Former president Jiang Zemin had promoted nearly 80 officials to full general to win their political support during his 13-year term.
