Chinese soldiers salute in a chorus on a stage during a military parade at Tiananmen Square in Beijing on September 3, 2015, to mark the 70th anniversary of victory over Japan and the end of World War II. (Reuters)
Beijing:
The "pathogen" of corruption persists within China's armed forces, the top Chinese military newspaper said on Wednesday, indicating that President Xi Jinping will sustain his sweeping crackdown on graft in the ranks into next year.
Xi has made his fight against military corruption a top priority, with serving and retired officers warning that the problem is so pervasive it could undermine China's ability to wage war.
The People's Liberation Army Daily said in a front page editorial that, despite progress rooting out graft, "unhealthy tendencies" persisted and that the values of a minority of Communist party members and officials were still lacking.
"It can be said, there is still a certain gap between the present status of upright style and stern discipline and the demands of President Xi and the expectations of the troops," the newspaper said.
"The pathogen still has not been eradicated," it said.
The PLA is already reeling from Xi's anti-corruption campaign, which has seen dozens of officers investigated, including two former vice chairmen of the Central Military Commission. Some analysts say Xi is also eliminating rivals.
At the same time, Xi has unveiled a broad-brush outline for military reforms, seeking further modernisation of the command structure of the world's largest armed forces.
China intensified its crackdown on corruption in the armed forces in the late 1990s, banning the PLA from engaging in business.
But the military has been involved in commercial dealings in recent years due to a lack of checks and balances, military analysts have said.
Xi has made his fight against military corruption a top priority, with serving and retired officers warning that the problem is so pervasive it could undermine China's ability to wage war.
The People's Liberation Army Daily said in a front page editorial that, despite progress rooting out graft, "unhealthy tendencies" persisted and that the values of a minority of Communist party members and officials were still lacking.
"It can be said, there is still a certain gap between the present status of upright style and stern discipline and the demands of President Xi and the expectations of the troops," the newspaper said.
"The pathogen still has not been eradicated," it said.
The PLA is already reeling from Xi's anti-corruption campaign, which has seen dozens of officers investigated, including two former vice chairmen of the Central Military Commission. Some analysts say Xi is also eliminating rivals.
At the same time, Xi has unveiled a broad-brush outline for military reforms, seeking further modernisation of the command structure of the world's largest armed forces.
China intensified its crackdown on corruption in the armed forces in the late 1990s, banning the PLA from engaging in business.
But the military has been involved in commercial dealings in recent years due to a lack of checks and balances, military analysts have said.
© Thomson Reuters 2015
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