Top Chinese military official accused of taking bribes

USPA News - General Xu Caihou, one of China`s most senior military officials, has been expelled from the ruling Communist Party after being accused of accepting bribes, state-run media reported on Monday, adding that he may also face prosecution over the allegations. General Caihou is the latest among more than 30 high-ranking civilian and military officials to be accused as part of the country`s aggressive anti-corruption campaign, which began in November 2012. According to analysts, this may be the largest military scandal that China has encountered for many years.

Specific details about the allegations against the general were not made public. Caihou was the former vice chairman of China`s Central Military Commission and was once a member of China`s elite ruling body, the Politburo. He is believed to have been under house arrest for several months but may now face a court martial after the case was forwarded to prosecutors. As a result of the allegations, the general was expelled from the Communist Party of China (CPC) on Monday on charges of bribery, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported. The expulsion came after President Xi Jinping oversaw a Politburo meeting concerning military discipline and approved of the decision to expel Caihou and hand him over to military prosecutors. China`s state media depicted the accusations against Caihou and his ejection from the Communist Party as part of the government`s battle against corruption. Xinhua - which is often reluctant to report on negative news about China`s leadership - prominently featured the news report on its website throughout the day, possibly to please citizens who have demanded action to root out corruption. Rumors about an investigation into Caihou had been circulating for months, but many believe the general`s failing health will prevent him from being prosecuted as he is reportedly being treated for cancer. Caihou joined the army in 1963 and the Communist Party in 1971. A year later he became the secretary and deputy chief of the political department of the military command in Jilin. He rose steadily through the ranks of the army and party before assuming senior roles in the military`s primary political department in the 1990s. Since President Xi began an anti-corruption campaign in 2012, thousands of officials have been arrested and charged. Two other high profile figures - Jiang Jiemin, the former head of government`s asset regulator, and Wang Yongchun, the deputy head of China`s National Petroleum Company (CNPC) - were also expelled from the ruling party on Monday on charges of corruption. According to Xinhua, the Communist Party`s Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) found Jiang guilty of extortion, taking advantage of his post to seek benefits for others, and receiving "huge amounts" in bribes. Wang had been accused of similar crimes, but no details were released.