Top Chinese military officer accused of accepting bribes

Posted by admin Africa & World Politics, Headlines Monday, June 30th, 2014

One of China’s most senior military officials has been accused of accepting bribes and expelled from the Communist Party, state media report.

Gen Xu Caihou, a former member of the Politburo, would be handed over to military prosecutors to face a court martial, the Xinhua news agency said.

He is believed to have been held under house arrest for several months.

Analysts say this could be the biggest military scandal China has seen for many years.

Xinhua reported that Chinese President Xi Jinping had presided over a Politburo meeting about military discipline and approved the decision to expel Gen Xu and hand him over to military prosecutors.

The move has been presented has part of the government’s battle against corruption.

Rumours about the investigation into Gen Xu had circulated for months. But many believed poor health – he is reported to have been treated for cancer – would save him from prosecution.

Two other high profile figures were also expelled from the Communist Party for corruption on Monday – Jiang Jiemin, the former head of the state asset regulator, and Wang Yongchun, the deputy head of the state energy giant China National Petroleum Company.

-Punchwp_posts