PLA general who helped Xi battle graft in military retires
Liu Yuan was instrumental in taking down corrupt senior officers like Gu Junshan, and his departure comes as the army enters a crucial phase of reform
The general who helped China’s president take on corruption in the PLA has stepped down, sources say, ending months of speculation he would lead a new military discipline inspection commission.
Liu Yuan attended a farewell ceremony with colleagues from his General Logistics Department, where he was the political commissar, on December 23, according to the sources, adding he delivered a speech and shook hands. Liu is 64, one year below the mandatory retirement age for officers of his rank who are not members of the decision-making Central Military Commission.
With his departure, President Xi Jinping loses a valuable ally in his ambitious campaign to cleanse the ranks of graft and consolidate the PLA’s allegiance to the Communist Party and its leadership.
Liu was instrumental in taking down dozens of corrupt senior officers, including Gu Junshan, the former lieutenant general and deputy director of the General Logistics Department.
Gu was found guilty of bribery and embezzlement, among other crimes, earlier this year and given a suspended death sentence.
Tasked with overseeing the military’s housing, supplies and construction, the logistics department controls a massive budget and has emerged in recent years as the most problematic of the PLA’s four main headquarters.