China Voice: Steely anti-graft resolve key to strong army

The expulsion of Guo Boxiong, a former Chinese military leader, from the Communist Party of China (CPC), once again demonstrates that no corruption will be tolerated on the way toward a strong army.

Investigations found that Guo, former vice chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), took advantage of his post to seek promotions and benefits for others and accepted bribes personally or through his family.

Guo's case and relevant evidence have been transferred to military prosecutors for handling in accordance with the law.

The announcement, which came days ahead of Army Day on Saturday, dispelled doubts over the CPC's determination to stem corruption within the military, as Xu Caihou, another former military leader, was put under probe for corruption last year. Xu died of bladder cancer in March.

Such concerns, which originate from worries over potential instability in the military, are unnecessary because corruption officers like Guo and Xu had made themselves "enemies" of honest soldiers and officers, who fell victim to their violations.

The move will actually strengthen the loyalty of military personnel to the Party.

History has proven that corruption can erode the best troops, and a thorough cleanup of corruption will strengthen the army.

The fall of heavyweights is just part of the efforts to weed out corruption. The authorities are also working to eradicate "hotbeds" that may lead to corruption.

In recent years, more than 50 regulations and rules have been rolled out to tighten the management of the army, including one that orders officers to return extra property and one that puts the auditing office of the PLA under the direct management of the CMC to heighten its independence and authority. The office was previously a subsidiary of the PLA General Logistics Department.

Indeed, Guo's case also signals that the anti-graft campaign is not a passing whim, and the task of fighting corruption is still difficult.

Those who speculate that there may be a halt in the anti-corruption drive will be proven wrong.

The efforts will not relent, not least because China faces multiple and complex security threats and increasing external challenges, though it remains in a period of strategic opportunity for development.

This means China still has the task of safeguarding national unification, territorial integrity and development interests.

In order to better defend the nation and people's lives, a strong army must be in place. And to that end, the war against corruption will never end. Endi