Bonnie Girard
Try as he might, it is clear that Xi Jinping cannot rid his military of the insidious corruption that defines its workings much more than the count of warships and nuclear warheads ever can.
Another spate of Chinese military corruption cases serves as a reminder that a decades-long practice and culture of corruption continues to flourish within and among the ranks and relationships of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
Recent headlines of two more Chinese generals who are being investigated by Chinese Communist Party disciplinary authorities only repeat reports regularly found over the years in Chinese media about malfeasance in the military. Promotions come with a price tag. Even basic enlistment requires bribes, sources report. Luxury properties both in China as well as internationally are owned by the relatives of the highest-ranking PLA officers. Procurement – always risky but fertile ground for illicit dealing – is said to be rife with backhanders, inflated contract bidding, and other forms of bribery. Property scandals proliferate, as well. There are even reports of rigged admissions to PLA training schools, and the tests they proctor.
In the latest case, the disgraced officials are National People’s Congress Standing Committee members Lieutenant General You Haitao and Vice Admiral Li Pengcheng. They have been removed from China’s top legislative body, which foretells future action against them if found necessary.
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