In the latest sign of his resolve to fight widespread official corruption , Chinese President Xi Jinping presided over a leadership meeting Monday to expel four senior members from the ruling Communist Party , including a retired top general of the two million-strong People 's Liberation Army . Gen. Xu Caihou , a former vice chairman of the Central Military Commission that runs the world 's largest standing army , was found to have accepted bribes , state-run Xinhua news agency reported . Xu was also a member of the country 's elite decision-making body , the Politburo , before retiring in late 2012 . The official probe into Xu , 71 , started in March and Party investigators have found evidence of him and his family members receiving money and gifts from others , according to Xinhua . Xu 's case would be handed over to prosecutors for a court martial , making him the most senior military leader to face corruption charges in recent memory . In a statement released after Monday 's Politburo meeting , President Xi and other Chinese leaders reiterated their `` zero tolerance '' for corruption in the government and military -- long a lightning rod for mass discontent across the country -- but they also acknowledged the anti-graft task would be `` ongoing , complex and formidable . '' The three other former senior officials ousted from the Communist Party for corruption were Jiang Jiemin , a former minister in charge of state assets ; Li Dongsheng , a former vice minister of public security ; and Wang Yongchun , a former deputy head of state-owned oil behemoth China National Petroleum Corporation . 'Tigers and flies ' The announcement on Xu came on the heels of the downfall of Su Rong , a former vice chairman of China 's top political advisory body . Su , once a `` state leader '' in the official hierarchy , was formally removed from his post last Wednesday over serious corruption allegations . State media has characterized Xu as a big `` military tiger '' caught in the massive anti-graft campaign launched by President Xi , who is also the commander-in-chief . After becoming the head of the Communist Party in late 2012 , Xi banned official extravagance -- from banquets to year-end gifts -- and vowed to target `` tigers and flies '' alike in his fight against corruption when describing his resolve to spare no one regardless of their position . Xinhua recently touted the catching of 30 `` tigers '' since Xi took power less than two years ago . Zhou Yongkang . Some China watchers have noted ties between an increasing number of disgraced officials to Zhou Yongkang , the former domestic security czar who has been rumored to be under investigation for some time . Jiang , Li and Wang in Monday 's announcement have long been considered Zhou protégés . State media has reported official probes into many of Zhou 's family members as well as former associates in the domestic security apparatus , state oil industry and southwestern Sichuan Province -- three places Zhou once ruled . If announced , Zhou would become the highest-ranking official ever to face corruption charges in the history of the People 's Republic . In 2013 , some 182,000 officials were disciplined while courts nationwide tried 23,000 corruption cases , according to the Communist Party 's disciplinary commission . State media has cited the trial and conviction last year of former high-flying politician Bo Xilai -- though called politically motivated by Bo supporters -- as one prime example of President Xi 's determination to clean up the Party . 'Corruption endemic ' Longtime China observers , however , point to the limits of President Xi 's war on corruption . `` Corruption is so widespread and so endemic that campaigns are just not going do it , '' said Frank Ching , a Hong Kong-based commentator and columnist on Chinese politics . `` Something has to be done about the system . '' `` There have been public calls for a law to require officials disclosing their assets . There has been no indication that they are going to do that . In fact , a number of people calling for this law have ended up in prison , '' he added . `` I think people will be much more convinced of the seriousness of this anti-corruption campaign if there were a move to enact such a law . ''
Gen. Xu Caihou and his family members received money and gifts , investigators say . Xu was a former vice chairman of Communist Party . He is the most senior military leader to face corruption charges in recent memory . Xu Caihou is four of one senior members to be expelled from the ruling the Central Military Commission .