Amid graft charges, China sets new guidelines for PLA officers

China's military today issued new guidelines to "correct improper practices" in selection of new officers, amid allegations that a senior official of the world's largest army accepted bribes for clearing promotions.
The military authorities have issued five documents to optimise the selection and management of army officers.
The documents were approved by China's President and top military leader Xi Jinping to "correct improper practices in the selection and appointment of army officials," state-run Xinhua news agency reported today citing a statement.
The statement did not offer details, but said the documents have clear stipulations on the selection and management of secretaries of senior army officials, and set requirements for the service time and experience of commanding officers in combat troops.

It also limited posts for officers' relatives and subordinates to avoid nepotism.
The new procedures came in the backdrop of official media reports that Gen Xu Caihou, former vice chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), has "confessed" to taking bribes.

The CMC, headed by Xi, is the highest military body in China and a vice chairman is regarded as the top most official functioning under the President.
Xu is the highest-ranking military official being probed under China's anti-graft campaign, beside top political leader Zhou Yongkang, who was part of a nine-member Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) till 2012.

Xu was found to have taken advantage of his position to assist the promotions of others, accepting "extremely large" bribes personally and through his family, and to have sought profits for others in exchange for bribes.
The 71-year-old has been discharged from military service with his rank of general revoked. The CPC expelled Xu from the Party and handed his case to prosecutors.
Earlier this month, the 2.3 million-strong People's Liberation Army, the world's largest, linked soldiers' weight to promotion in a five-year reform outline.
The "Reform and Development of Military Physical Training (2015-2020)" guideline stressed that physical training would help cultivate combat power.