Xi urges army to reflect on Xu Caihou case

Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for serious reflection on the discipline and law violations by former Central Military Commission (CMC) Vice Chairman Xu Caihou.

Xu, CMC vice chairman from 2004 to 2012, confessed to taking bribes, military prosecutors announced on Tuesday.

On Friday Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and CMC chairman, said people should "pay great attention" to and "seriously treat" the case of Xu.

Xu was found to have taken advantage of his position to assist in the promotion of others, accepting huge bribes personally and through his family, and to have sought profits for others in exchange for bribes. The amount of bribes were "extremely large", according to prosecutors.

Lessons learned from Xu's case deserve a profound reflection and the unfavorable influence of the case must be thoroughly cleared away, Xi said at a military political work conference held in a former revolutionary base in the township of Gutian, Shanghang County of southeastern Fujian Province, on Thursday and Friday.

Xi visited the old revolutionary base where the Gutian Meeting was held more than 84 years ago, stressing the country should carry forward with hard work and revolutionary traditions.

The Gutian Meeting, which was a milestone for the CPC and the army, convened in 1929 in Gutian, Shanghang County of southeastern Fujian Province. The meeting set the tone for the army's political work during the revolutionary era.

The president said the ideological and political development is the lifeline for military building and has safeguarded the CPC's absolute command of the troops.

The army has established a set of fine political traditions, including serving the people wholeheartedly, fair and honest promotion of officers, rigorous self-discipline and sacrifice to the revolutionary spirit, Xi said.

"We must profoundly recognize the important role of political work in the army building and pass on to the following generations all the great traditions which were forged in blood by our ancestors," he added.

The president said the military cohesion has been increased thanks to sweeping reform measures aimed at sharpening the army's fighting capacity and curbing corruption since he took over the general secretary of the Party in 2012.

However, Xi noted outstanding problems in the ideological and political development in military construction should be faced squarely.

The fundamental problems are with faith, Party principles, revolutionary spirits, disciplines, ideology and work styles, he said, adding that management of officials is "too lax" and the supervision system has flaws.

At the conference, Xi stressed that the army is under the absolute leadership of the CPC and the principle should always be firmly upheld, saying "the Party commands the gun."

To strengthen the army's ideological and political development, Xi urged the troops to have a strong sense of Party principles and interests, giving priority to the CPC cause and the people's interests.

"Fighting capacity is the sole criterion for testing the troops and military officers' assessment and promotion will focus on their ability of leading soldiers to fight and win battles," said Xi, vowing to tighten the management of high-ranking and middle-level officers in the army.

"We'll never slacken the efforts to deepen the fight against corruption in the army," said Xi, pledging to purify contingent of cadres and continue effective crackdown on graft in a regular manner.

During the trip, Xi visited the venue with other CMC members. He carefully examined pictures and panels, raising questions about the historic meeting. In the office where Mao Zedong once worked, Xi recalled the hard struggle and achievements made by the older generations of revolutionaries.

Xi visited the venue seven times during his early years in Fujian.

Xi also met with local veterans in western Fujian. He has been there 19 times. He said people should listen to their suggestions to ensure the passing on of revolutionary traditions.