China: Two former defense ministers are expelled from the Communist Party

2024-06-27 22:27:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

China: Two former defense ministers are expelled from the Communist Party

Source, AP

China's Communist Party has expelled two former defense ministers, Li Shangfu and his predecessor, Wei Fenghen.

According to China's state news agency Xinhua, the two former officials were accused of committing "serious disciplinary violations," the language used by Chinese officials when talking about corruption.

The article in 'Xinhua' said: "As an important member of the party leadership and the military, Li Shangfu betrayed his mission... betrayed the trust of the Party Central Committee and the Central Military Commission... and caused great damage to the cause of the party and national defense".

The article also said an investigation led by the Communist Party's Central Committee found that Mr. Li had "sought benefits for himself and others" and failed to fulfill his political duties.

According to the article, Mr. Li is also suspected of taking "large sums of money" in bribes, as well as giving bribes to others."

The Xinhua article was the first official confirmation of Mr Li's investigation, revealing details of the nature of the alleged crimes.

In October last year, Mr. Li was removed from office after not being seen in public activities for nearly two months. He was replaced in December by Admiral Dong Jun.

Mr Li's predecessor, Wei Fenghe, was also not seen in public for a long period after being replaced during a cabinet reshuffle in March.

Since coming to power more than a decade ago, Chinese leader Xi Jinping has launched a sweeping anti-corruption campaign. President Xi is particularly focused on fighting corruption in the military.

Last week, while speaking at a conference on the military, President Xi stressed the need to "root out the conditions in which corruption thrives and expand the depth and breadth of the fight against corruption," according to Chinese state media.

During this conference, President Xi also emphasized the need to "strengthen the all-round supervision of senior officials in the exercise of their duties and the use of their powers."

Reactions to President Xi's anti-corruption efforts have been mixed. Supporters say the efforts are about clean governance, while critics say they could serve as a tool to eliminate political rivals./ VOA