Inside China: Tough talking Xi Jinping goes easy on rampant PLA corruption

Special to WorldTribune.com

After becoming simultaneously General Secretary and Chairman of the Central Military Commission at the 18th Chinese Communist Party Congress last November, Xi Jinping put it as its top priority to consolidate his power base in the People’s Liberation Army.

Gen. Xu Caihou, left, and Chinese President Hu Jintao at banquet marking the 63th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China on Sept. 29, 2012. /Feng Li/Getty Images AsiaPac — Gen. Xu Caihou, left, and Chinese President Hu Jintao at banquet marking the 63th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China on Sept. 29, 2012. /Feng Li/Getty Images AsiaPac

He also wanted to build up his credentials as a tough-talking commander-in-chief who inspires awe and admiration among officers and rank-and-file alike.

On the one hand, Xi has urged PLA forces to “get ready to fight and to win wars.” He has also pledged to continue boosting the PLA budget in double-digits – and in particular, raising the salaries and welfare of military personnel.

On the other hand, Xi – whose personal links with the army are much deeper than that of ex-presidents Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao – realizes that the biggest problem of the defense forces is rampant corruption.

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Chinese Communist Party Congress, Gen. Xu Caihou, Hu Jintao, Jiang Zemin, Tough talking Xi Jinping is going easy on rampant PLA corruption

Inside China: Tough talking Xi Jinping goes easy on rampant PLA corruption added by World Tribune on May 15, 2013
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