Former military leader Guo Boxiong expelled from CPC, to face justice

President Xi Jinping may have tamed the “North-east Tiger” by toppling retired general Xu Caihou, but dealing with former military leader Guo Boxiong – the “North-west Wolf” – could be tricky politically, analysts say.

Soldiers and officers of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and armed police force have expressed support for the graft probe of former military leader Guo Boxiong, according to a report in the Saturday edition of the PLA Daily.

A 25-member council of the party’s Politburo revealed that Guo took advantage of his post to “seek promotion and benefits for others”. His younger brother, Guo Boquan, was also investigated by anti-corruption investigators in Shaanxi province who found that he misappropriated tens of millions of yuan of disaster relief funds to build apartments for sale.

At the 16th Party Congress in November 2002, Xu was made director of the General Political Department and a member of the Secretariat of the CCP Central Committee.

“One wicked man wiped out, dread put in the hearts of all other wicked people”, said the official People’s Daily in a front-page editorial. “The anti-corruption sword must be raised high to cut off the bud of corruption and make the corrupt pay a price”.

Sources had previously told Reuters that Guo was being investigated, but had also said he may not face prosecution as he has cancer.

It has not been possible to reach either Guo for comment and it is not clear if either of them have lawyers.

Singapore-based observer Huang Jing said many in the military had worked closely with Gen Guo, and a few may resort to desperate measures to protect themselves after his expulsion.

As well as being the world’s largest active military, a vast network of businesses are linked to China’s armed forces – so extensive that academics have dubbed it “PLA Inc”. Taking bribes for promotions, as Mr Guo is accused of, does not fit that goal. The 71-year-old died in March of bladder cancer before he could stand trial.

Dozens of officers have been probed for suspected graft.

Yesterday, Heilongjiang military region’s deputy commander Zhang Daixin was sentenced to 10 years’ jail for corruption.

The People’s Daily stated the party’s anti-corruption wrestle would “all the time be on the transfer”.

“These worries have obviously underestimated our party’s resolute determination to punish corruption”, it said.

Guo became the second former military leader caught in President Xi Jinping’s anti-graft dragnet.