(Tribune News Service) — China reiterated it has zero tolerance for corruption within its military, and will put key personnel under closer scrutiny, as the country deepens its push to stamp out graft across critical sectors.

He Weidong, vice chairman of China’s Central Military Commission called for the elimination of deeply rooted misconduct, according to a statement citing an annual meeting of the group held in Beijing on Friday. A “critical few’ will face more scrutiny and be held to a higher standard of behavior, he said.

China has ramped up its rhetoric this week, with President Xi Jinping warning there’ll be no mercy in the anti-corruption campaign that spans finance to energy and health, and has been a hallmark of his leadership. The military has been a particular concern for Xi, who has devoted billions of dollars to his aim of transforming it into a modern force by 2027.

The country’s defense industry has already been rocked by a purge that’s reached the upper echelons of the People’s Liberation Army. In the latest round, China’s top legislative body unseated nine military figures including five linked to the secretive missile force Xi revamped in 2015, and at least two from the equipment department in charge of arming the military with the latest fare.

Those are just the removals made public. Unlike other parts of the Chinese system, the military doesn’t announce its corruption investigations. A Rocket Force major-general was quietly removed from Beijing’s city parliament in November, news outlet Caixin reported.

With assistance from Josh Xiao.

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