His wife He Xiulian acted as a broker between him and senior military officers, taking bribes for promotions and refunding the money if the post did not materialise, it added.
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Sources had previously said Guo was being probed, but it was thought he may have escaped prosecution as he has cancer.
While Xu was mainly in charge of administrative and political education in the military when he served as vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, Guo was in charge of actual military operations.
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.
The latest decision means the two top military officers under Xi’s predecessor have been taken into custody. He is the highest-ranking military official to be investigated in the anti-corruption campaign that party boss Xi Jinping has made one of the centerpieces of his administration.
His investigation and punishment “once again showed that the Party is fearless in facing up its problems and correcting its mistakes”, it said.
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.
It has not been attainable to succeed in Guo or his family members for remark and it isn’t clear if he has a lawyer.
There is no hiding place for corruption within the Party, and it is even more so with the PLA, which holds the weapons to guard national security, the article said.
The campaign has ensnared dozens of senior military officials, including Gu Junshan, the deputy head of the People’s Liberation Army’s logistics department.
The Chinese government had fueled speculation about his fate with a commentary carried on the website of the Communist Party’s People’s Daily in March, headlined: “You know what signal the fall of Guo Zhenggang sends”.
73-year-old Guo, who retired last year, was placed under graft investigations in April.
“We are decided to oppose corruption”. In one case, a senior officer has been accused of making millions of dollars from selling hundreds of military positions.
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“The whole Party and armed forces should be aware that the battle against corruption is still tough and complicated and should progress unwaveringly”, it said.
