Xi orders PLA to clear up bad influence from Xu Caihou

Chinese President Xi Jinping (R), also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, meets with senior officers of the Nanjing Military Area Command during an inspection tour in east China's Jiangsu province, Dec 14, 2014. (Xinhua/Li Gang)

President Xi Jinping has asked the armed forces to clear up the "bad influence" left by the graft case of Xu Caihou, a former senior commander.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of Central Military Commission (CMC), made the remarks during an inspection tour to the Nanjing Military Area Command of the People's Liberation of Army (PLA) on Sunday.

The armed forces should learn a lesson from Xu, former vice chairman of CMC, and "fully clear up the bad influence" left by this case in the army's ideological, political and organizational work as well as the style of work, Xi said.

Military prosecutors wrapped up the investigation into Xu and began the filing process in late October.

According to prosecutors, Xu was found to have taken advantage of his position to assist the promotion of others, accepting huge bribes personally and through his family, and to have sought profits for others in exchange for bribes.

President Xi also named another former senior military officer Gu Junshan, who was charged with embezzlement, bribery, misuse of state funds and abuse of power in March.

He ordered all military officers to learn a lesson from these "bad examples".

"Officers of all levels, especially senior ones, should remain alert, be in awe and not cross the line," he said.

Xi stressed that more efforts should be made to tighten up the promotion, supervision, appraisal and management of senior officers.

In terms of loyalty building, Xi asked the armed forces to make sure that all officers and soldiers firmly follow the command of the CPC Central Committee and the CMC "in any time and under any circumstances".

He urged the armed forces to improve education on officers and soldiers so that the country can have a new generation of servicemen "having souls, skills, personality and integrity".

The armed forces should be commanded by strict discipline and military laws, Xi said, stressing that all military units should strictly follow protocols.

He called for a better military-civilian relationship and urged the armed forces to support local economic and social development and improve the cooperation between military and civilian sectors in infrastructure and defense development.

During the inspection, the president visited the military museum of the Nanjing Military Area Command. The museum building was located on the spot where the Japanese army surrendered to the Chinese army in Sept. 9, 1945.

Xi called on officers and soldiers not to forget the country's history of being invaded and humiliated nor to let it happen again.