PLA targets corruption

High-risk areas identified for tighter supervision

The Chinese military is beefing up supervision to fight corruption in its ranks with detailed regulations, which analysts said will be crucial in preventing graft-related crimes.

The areas being targeted - including project construction and medical and weapons procurement - are involved in more than 90 percent of the corruption in the military, an official with the military procuratorate said.

Human resources, finances and fuel management were also listed as key targets for monitoring by the PLA General Staff Headquarters, and the General Political, General Logistics and General Armament departments.

Forty-four "high-risk links" and more than 130 problems that should be tracked, as well as clear prevention measures, have been laid out.

"This can be considered as the actual start of anti-corruption work in the military," said Li Chengyan, director of the Research Center for Clean Government Construction at Peking University.

These measures are badly needed to enforce long-term checks on corruption, Li said. They should also be revised as needed to adapt to any changing situation, he said.

In 2006 and 2009, authorities issued regulations and suggestions for the prevention of such crimes in the military. But those moves were seen only as putting forward general requirements.

The military's top brass took unprecedented measures this year to fight corruption, with a number of senior officers investigated.

In March, Gu Junshan, former deputy head of the PLA General Logistics Department, was prosecuted for embezzlement, bribery, misuse of State funds and abuse of power.

Yang Jinshan, a lieutenant-general and former deputy head of the Chengdu Military Command, was investigated in October for gravely violating Party discipline, an accusation that generally refers to corruption.

In late October, Xu Caihou, former vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission, was accused of taking advantage of his position to assist in the promotion of others and of using his influence to help others make monetary profits, taking a large number of bribes in return.

President Xi Jinping was quoted by Xinhua News Agency as saying that China's military must not let down those who gave their lives for the Communist Party in the revolutionary struggle and must resolutely fight corruption.

In early November, the Central Military Commission took over the PLA auditing office. It was a major decision made by the commission to strengthen the army and tighten auditing and supervision over the military's economic activities, Xinhua reported.

The prevention of and crackdown on crimes committed by the military in these key fields are being seen as the most urgent task in the development of the armed forces.

"I have to stress that the People's Liberation Army has zero tolerance for corrupt officials. We will make thorough investigations into all corruption cases in the PLA, without any leniency, no matter who is involved and whatever level the official is," Geng Yansheng, a spokesman for the Ministry of Defense, said at a news conference on Thursday.

gaobo@chinadaily.com.cn