Courtesy of Sinocism, to which you should all be subscribed:
Xi Bags High-Level Military “Tiger” Amid Deepening Corruption Crackdown | Center for Strategic and International Studies–very helpful analysis by Christopher Johnson- The announcement on Xu, for example, is not occurring in a vacuum. At the same meeting, the Politburo also ousted three other CCP figures that earlier had been detained for investigation. All three of them have ties to the case against former PBSC member Zhou Yongkang, suggesting that long-lingering drama also may be building to a crescendo. Add to this the recent detention of the elder brother of Hu Jintao’s top lieutenant and Xi appears to be leaving no stone unturned. But to what end? Here it is important to think about Xi’s knack for political stagecraft. With most of his rival party chieftains now on the defensive, Xi may be seeking to press his advantage further by advancing his own allies. The upcoming Fourth Plenum, with its presumed focus on the very flexible theme of “party building,” may provide Xi with such an opportunity…So is this purely a purge by Xi, or also about seriously tackling corruption and improving PLA professionalization? I’d say all of the above; they are not mutually exclusive. It has looked clear for months that Xi has total control over the security services; does he now have near complete control over the PLA as well?
Related: 中共中央决定给予徐才厚开除党籍处分-新华网
the official statement on the expulsion of Xu Caihou says that his “case is serious 情节严重”..The official statement on Bo Xilai said his “case is extremely serious 情节特别严重”…so if Xu makes it to a military trial should we expect a lesser penalty? I heard last week that the amount of bribery for which Xu would be charged would be set at 5 million RMB…a very low amount if true // 2014年3月15日，中共中央依照党的纪律条例， 决定对徐才厚涉嫌违纪问题进行组织调查。经审查， 徐才厚利用职务便利，为他人晋升职务提供帮助， 直接和通过家人收受贿赂；利用职务影响为他人谋利， 其家人收受他人财物，严重违反党的纪律并涉嫌受贿犯罪， 情节严重，影响恶劣。 Related: China’s Antigraft Push Snares Most Senior Target Yet – NYTimes.com Nor was General Xu the only former senior official targeted by the meeting. Xinhua announced that the Politburo also expelled from the party Li Dongsheng, a former vice minister of public security, who party investigators found took massive bribes, as well as two former executives of a state oil conglomerate, Jiang Jiemin and Wang Yongchun, who were accused of similar misdeeds.//Li, Jiang and Wang look to be all related to the Zhou Yongkang investigation. Should we expect a Zhou Yongkang-related announcement by around the 4th Plenum, which rumors say will be held in August?
Related: [视频]
中共中央决定给予徐才厚开除党籍处分_新闻频道_央视网( CCTV Evening News on Xu Caihou // 会议认为，对徐才厚严重违纪问题的查处，cctv.com) 进一步体现了党中央从严治党、从严治军的鲜明态度， 表明了我们党坚决反对腐败、以零容忍态度惩治腐败的坚定决心。 全党全军必须充分认识反腐败斗争的长期性、复杂性、艰巨性， 把反腐倡廉建设放在更加突出的位置，坚决查处违纪违法案件。 任何人不论权力大小、职务高低，只要触犯党纪国法， 都要严肃查处，决不姑息、决不手软。 人民军队是执行党的政治任务的武装集团， 在党风廉政建设上要坚持高标准、严要求。 党内决不允许有腐败分子藏身之地， 军中也决不允许有腐败分子藏身之地。 Related: 军报评论：坚决拥护党中央的正确决定 – 中国军网 PLA Daily on supporting the Party’s “correct decision”// 中共中央决定给予徐才厚开除党籍处分，
对其涉嫌受贿犯罪问题及问题线索移送最高人民检察院授权军事检察 机关依法处理。这充分体现了党中央从严治党、 从严治军的鲜明态度，表明了我们党坚决反对腐败、 以零容忍态度惩治腐败的坚定决心，对于端正部队风气、 维护人民军队良好形象，对于提振军心士气、凝聚意志力量， 具有重要意义。全军官兵要坚决拥护党中央的正确决定， 坚决贯彻党中央的决策部署，切实把思想统一到中央精神上来， 确保一切行动听从党中央、中央军委和习主席指挥。 Related: 人民日报评论员：铲除腐败决不手软–观点-
-人民网 党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为总书记的党中央，从党和国家生死存亡的高度，把反腐败斗争摆在更加突出位置。 对腐败现象决不姑息，对腐败分子决不手软，坚持“老虎”、“ 苍蝇”一起打， 我们党严肃查处一些党员干部包括高级干部严重违纪问题的坚强决心 和鲜明态度，向全党全社会表明，从严治党不是口号， 惩治腐败没有例外。任何人不论权力大小、职务高低， 只要触犯党纪国法，都要严肃查处， 党内决不允许有腐败分子藏身之地， 军中也决不允许有腐败分子藏身之地，任何人都不能心存侥幸。// No exception in punishing the corrupt: People’s Daily Related: 军中反腐惊雷 徐才厚外另有4少将落马_中国_多维新闻网 HK media says 4 other generals under investigation for corruption// 【多维新闻】
2014年中共建党节前夕堪称军中“大老虎”的徐才厚的落马， 群情振奋，党军肃然。有港媒跟进报道称， 除徐才厚以及之前的谷俊山外，长期任职四川军区的卫晋和叶万勇， 山西省军区原司令方文平， 总后勤部副参谋长符林国4位少将也于同期被调查。 在徐才厚案被正式揭蛊之后， 此前一直不显山露水的军队反腐态势渐趋明朗。
