A former vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission and Politburo member, the senior officer used his influence to get promotions and took bribes. However, many believe his real crime was his loyalty to former president Jiang Zemin, not current leader Xi Jinping, and maintaining close ties with him even after he left office.
Beijing (AsiaNews/Agencies) – A military court sentenced General Guo Boxiong to life imprisonment for corruption.
The senior officer, 74, was accused of using his influence to seek promotions for others and of accepting bribes, the Xinhua news agency reported.
Guo was stripped of his rank of general, and his personal assets were seized, the news agency added. No details were given about how much money he is supposed to have taken.
In April, the South China Morning Post spoke of US$ 12.3 million, but that was only a small portion of the wealth the former general is said to have accumulated.
Guo was one of the most senior officers under former President Hu Jintao. Between 2002 and 2012, he was deputy chairman of Central Military Commission, China’s supreme military policy-making body. During that time, he was also a member of the Politburo, which oversees the Chinese Communist Party.
The Communist Party expelled him last year after he was charged with corruption.
Since he took over almost four years ago, Chinese President Xi Jinping has made eradicating corruption the centrepiece of his action. Since then hundreds of thousands of officials have been charged.
Guo’s trial took place behind closed doors. The court said Guo’s crimes were “extremely serious”, Xinhua reported, but that he had “confessed, owned up to his misdeeds, repented in good faith, and all the proceeds of his crimes have been recovered”.
The court also said that Guo’s wife, daughter and son Guo Zhenggang had all been involved in his corruption.
Many believe, however, that the retired general’s real crime was his loyalty to former president Jiang Zemin with whom he maintained close ties, even after the latter left power, and not to Xi.