The official army newspaper is running a frenzied campaign to demonstrate the PLA's allegiance to the ruling Communist Party.
In the past two weeks the PLA Daily has run at least 27 speeches, editorials and political commentaries to ram home the message that the armed forces should adhere to the party's absolute rule no matter what happens.
Military and political analysts said the rash of articles had been triggered by the downfall in March of former Chongqing party secretary Bo Xilai , who was seen to have support in some military circles.
'Work units of the army were all requested to declare their political stance after Bo was expelled by the Politburo in April, making military leaders who had close connections with Bo very nervous,' a Shanghai-based retired PLA senior colonel said.
They became more nervous after rumours circulated on the internet that military friends of Bo who shared his 'princeling' background were also under investigation, the retired officer said. These officers were said to include Liu Yuan, political commissar of the PLA's General Logistics Department and son of former head of state Liu Shaoqi ; and Zhang Haiyang, political commissar of the army's Second Artillery Corps and son of former Central Military Commission member Zhang Zhen .
Those rumours were soon disproved after Liu Yuan and Zhang Haiyang continued making public appearances. The PLA Daily said Zhang led a delegation of 10 PLA officers to visit Finland and Hungary on April 15, while on April 12, Liu attended a meeting of a Beijing planning commission.