Chinese armed forces tighten integrity

Beijing, Feb 3: Chi’s military anti-graft agency has publicised hotline numbers for the public to blow the whistle on officers flouting frugality regulations during the Chinese New Year holiday. The agency will also run its own inspections to ensure that officers do not spend public money on expensive dinners, travel and entertainment, or driving service vehicles for private purposes, Xinhua reported on Wednesday. Inspectors will also target military departments that spend too much in holding celebrations or handing out extra holiday allowances and gifts. Rooting out corruption and ensuring that officers act with integrity have been a major focus of the country’s military reforms. In January, an office was set up to send auditors out to military departments. President Xi Jinping, also chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), warned senior officers to learn their lessons from the corruption investigations into the affairs of Guo Boxiong and Xu Caihou, both former CMC vice chairmen. (IANS)