Chinese military to target top brass in anti-graft drive

The Chinese military today said it will step up inspections against its top officials in a new anti-corruption drive, part of a larger nationwide campaign in China to counter widespread public anger against graft.
An inspection on officials' decadence will focus on leading officers of the Communist Party of China (CPC) within the army system, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) Xu Qiliang has said.
"High-level Party committee units and their members -- especially principal officials -- should be the key targets of the inspection," state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
CMC is China's top military body controlling the armed forces.

President Xi Jinping, who also heads the CPC is also the Chairman of the top military body.
Xu, also head of the guidance group of the CMC inspection campaign, made the comments at a meeting where special CMC inspection groups were set up and personnel announced, the report said.

The move came as Xi has been stressing that the military should strictly obey the CPC and function under its leadership.
The 2.3-million-strong People's Liberation Army (PLA), the world's largest, functions under the command of the CPC instead of under the government control like in other countries.
The crackdown is part of a larger campaign nationwide to boost ties between CPC officials and the public while cleaning up undesirable work styles and practices such as formalism, bureaucracy, hedonism and extravagance, the report said.

Xu told inspection groups to conduct their work scientifically, strictly and lawfully while cooperating with disciplinary departments.
The recent high-profile trial and conviction of disgraced Communist Party leader Bo Xilai highlighted the serious extent of high-level corruption in China.