Xi vows ‘all-out battle against corruption’

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.