China starts to target military corruption

Lt.-Gen. Gu Junshan, the former deputy chief of the People’s Liberation Army’s logistics department, was formally charged March 31 with a series of “economic crimes.” The decision to levy corruption charges against a senior military officer has surprised some observers because they largely have been spared from the Communist Party of China’s anti-corruption campaign. The expansion of that campaign to the People’s Liberation Army signals Beijing’s determination to pursue public, high-profile shows of discipline.

Until now, the Chinese military had considered itself exempt from prosecution, despite reports of widespread corruption. Any attempt by the Chinese leadership to purge the military must be carefully balanced with the need to reshape the relationship between the Party and the armed forces. Gu’s arrest comes at time when China is actively seeking to transform its military into a fighting force capable of protecting Chinese global interests.