Aide of former Chinese generals Xu Caihou, Guo Boxiong now facing graft probe

A close aide of two former vice-chairmen of the People's Liberation Army's decision-making arm has come under corruption investigation.

Major General Liu Hongjie , who used to work under Central Military Commission vice-chairmen Guo Boxiong and Xu Caihou , was detained by the military prosecutor on suspicion of "taking advantage by job convenience and bribes", the official China News Service reported.

The news was announced yesterday at a meeting of the Beijing Municipal People's Congress standing committee. The agenda said the PLA's general prosecutor had reported Liu's case to the committee because he was an incumbent representative of the Beijing people's congress.

Liu, 55, was once seen as a rising star, a Beijing-based retired senior colonel told the South China Morning Post under condition of anonymity. Liu was promoted by Xu to take charge of the CMC political office in 2011, the army veteran said.

"He was only 51 when he entered the CMC to work directly under both Guo and Xu. That definitely gave him more chances than other military officers for further promotion," the veteran said. "But as major-domo of Guo and Xu, he was their most trusted follower, savvy to details of their secrets. That's why he is being investigated."

Xu - who was sacked and put under investigation last March - is the latest senior military figure to fall to President Xi Jinping's anti-corruption campaign. Guo has also been widely speculated to have come under investigation.