With the sacking of Miao Guirong, chief engineer of Transport Command in China’s People’s Armed Police forces, three leading officers have been removed from this section of the million-man paramilitary police on suspicion of corruption.
Commander Liu Zhanqi and political commissar Wang Xin were removed earlier this summer, as reported by China Military net, the official news site of the People’s Liberation Army.
Transport Command is a large department in the Armed Police. It is responsible for controlling and maintaining transport infrastructure in times of crisis such as natural disaster, terrorist attack, or war. Since 2009 it has been a part of the national emergency response system, working with both the Armed Police headquarters and the civilian Ministry of Transport.
The Armed Police has been targeted before. In January, the Party’s anti-corruption agency announced that Cai Guangliao, a major general, had been sacked for bribery, violation of discipline, and conducting illicit business.
According to an article by the Chinese news site Xiaochoujin, the Armed Police has been plagued by severe corruption in the last decade. This is due to the force’s access to resources such as gold, lumber, and energy, as well as its role in overseeing foreign borders. Additionally, the Armed Police’s close relations with both central and local authorities facilities illicit activity among its officers.
Under the administration of general secretary Xi Jinping, the Communist Party’s discipline agency has been carrying out a nationwide anti-corruption campaign in multiple sectors, including the Chinese military.
