Chinese President Xi calls corruption "biggest threat" to Communist Party

BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday vowed an "all-out battle against corruption" as top leaders convened in Beijing for an annual planning session of the country's top disciplinary agency.

"We must always maintain our tenacity and perseverance... and resolutely fight the tough, protracted and all-out battle against corruption," Xi said, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

The Chinese leader has overseen a wide-ranging campaign against official corruption since coming to power just over a decade ago.

Proponents say the policy promotes clean governance, but others say it also serves as a means for Xi to purge political rivals.

In November, the ruling Communist Party suspended a top military official and placed him under investigation for "serious violations of discipline," a common euphemism for corruption.

Admiral Miao Hua had been a member of Beijing's powerful Central Military Commission, sitting alongside five other men -- including Xi at the top.

He joined a host of high-ranking figures, including two former defence ministers, to fall foul of a sweeping crackdown on graft in the country's armed forces in just over a year.

On Monday, Xi called corruption "the biggest threat" to the Communist Party, adding that "the fight against corruption remains grave and complex."

Instances of corruption continue to occur, he told the party's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection's meeting, adding that eliminating conditions that fuel graft remains a difficult task.

China in December executed a former official working in Inner Mongolia over crimes including bribery and misappropriation of public funds.

The sweeping anti-corruption drive has also ensnared top names in finance and sport, including former Chinese men's national football coach Li Tie.