Chinese President Xi Jinping today asked the 2.3 million strong army to show full loyalty towards the ruling Communist Party saying it "commands the gun" after investigation started against the country's highest ranking General for taking bribes.
Xi told a military political work conference in Fujian that army is under the absolute leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the principle should always be firmly upheld.
"The Party commands the gun," Xi who is also head of the CPC Chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) which controls the armed forces was quoted as saying by state-run Xinhua News Agency.
He also said that there should be serious reflection on the discipline and law violations by former CMC Vice Chairman Xu Caihou, "pay great attention" to and "seriously treat" his case.
"Lessons learned from Xu's case deserve a profound reflection and the unfavourable influence of the case must be thoroughly cleared away," Xi said yesterday at a military political work conference held in a former revolutionary base in the township of Gutian, Shanghang County of southeastern Fujian Province.
Xu had confessed to taking bribes, Military prosecutors announced last Tuesday.
Xu, who held the most influential military post, was also expelled from the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) and discharged from military service with his rank as general revoked.
Xu is the highest ranking PLA official to have been court marshalled since China came under the rule of Communist Party in 1949.
He took over as Vice Chairman of the CPC headed by former President Hu Jintao and retired along with Hu in 2013 holding the post for the longest time.
He was accused of introducing "cash for ranks" policy in promoting officers and found to have taken the advantage of his position to assist the promotion of other people, accepting huge amount of bribe personally and through his family.
The retired General along with former top security official Zhou Yongkong and various other officials were being investigated for heavy corruption and abuse of power in the anti-graft campaign launched by Xi since he took over power last year after a once-in-a-decade leadership change.
Outstanding problems in the ideological and political development in military construction should be faced squarely, Xi said.
Prosecutors said investigation into the Xu's case has concluded and the filing of the case has begun, Xinhua reported today.
The retired General who is reportedly suffering from cancer has been detained along with some of this family members.
"Fighting capacity is the sole criterion for testing the troops and military officers' assessment and promotion will focus on their ability of leading soldiers to fight and win battles," Xi said, vowing to tighten the management of high-ranking and middle-level officers in the army.
"We'll never slacken the efforts to deepen the fight against corruption in the army," Xi said, pledging to purify contingent of cadres and continue effective crackdown on graft in a regular manner.
