Graft probe into Guo Boxiong to win army, public's support

The decision to expel former military leader Guo Boxiong from the Communist Party of China (CPC) for graft has showcased the CPC's resolve and "zero tolerance" in fighting corruption, and will surely be supported by the entire Party, army and the public.

The decision also displayed a clear attitude by the CPC to strictly discipline itself and the military, according to an article under the byline of Xie Zhengping published on the official website of the People's Liberation Army (PLA).

Guo, former vice chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), was expelled from the CPC for taking bribes, according to a decision made at a meeting of the CPC Central Committee's Political Bureau on Thursday.

The political bureau also decided to transfer his case and relevant evidence to military prosecutors for handling in accordance with the law.

The decision came just days ahead of this year's Army Day on Saturday, which will mark the 88th anniversary of the founding of the PLA.

The situation facing Guo is totally at his own peril as Guo, who was once a senior military leader, failed to maintain a selfless stance and exert strict self-discipline, and betrayed the trust and interests of the Party, the army and the public, the article said.

The article lambasted Guo for his unscrupulous personal greed, saying that he has "lost out in the face of temptations" and that his acts run counter to the CPC's nature and tenets and have seriously undermined the image of the Party and the army.

"Such behaviors are intolerable under the Party's code of conduct, unforgivable by the state's law and will be a huge humiliation for him," it said.

The article noted that there had been worries that the CPC might not be determined to clean up corruption within the military out of fear that the investigation into Guo soon after that of Xu Caihou, another senior military official, may cause instability among the army.

Those who have such concerns, the article went on, have underestimated the CPC's anti-corruption resolve as well as the Party's authority among the army and Chinese troops' unshakable loyalty to the people.

Moreover, the honest soldiers and officers are also the victims of the violations of Guo and Xu, the article said, adding that the deeper the anti-graft campaign goes, the stronger the Chinese army will be. "With the investigation of the corrupt ones, Chinese servicemen will be better united," it said.

The article said that a few corrupt members cannot represent the entire Chinese military, and the loyal, courageous and selfless nature of Chinese soldiers have remained the same for the past 80-plus years.

It further vowed non-stop efforts in weeding out corruption and said that with united efforts by the Party, the army and the people, China will eventually win the battle against corruption.