Update | Ex-PLA chief Guo Boxiong to be prosecuted for allegedly accepting bribes for promotions
The former vice-chairman of the powerful Central Military Commission is the most senior military official to be investigated for corruption in the ongoing anti-graft campaign
Guo Boxiong, a former vice-chairman of the powerful Central Military Commission, has been expelled from the Communist Party for alleged corruption and handed over to military prosecutors, state media reported late Thursday night.
Investigations found Guo allegedly accepted bribes “personally and through his family members” in exchange for granting promotions in the military, Xinhua reported, citing the Politburo. The announcement came ahead of the People’s Liberation Army’s anniversary tomorrow.
The report said that in line with party disciplinary rules, the Central Committee decided on April 9 to put Guo under investigation. “His acts seriously violated party discipline and left a vile impact,” the Politburo said.
Guo is the most senior military official to be investigated for corruption in the ongoing anti-graft campaign. His expulsion comes more than a year after the downfall of former top general Xu Caihou, who was also a vice-chairman of the commission under former president Hu Jintao.
READ MORE: Web of influence: Fallen Guo Boxiong’s connections with China’s top military brass
Xu died of bladder cancer in March, but military prosecutors had said they would continue to go after other allegedly corrupt officers linked to Xu. During Hu’s administration, Xu and Guo were in charge of the PLA even though the president was nominally the head of the CMC.
