The investigation of two senior military officers, suspected of serious violations of Party discipline and the law, demonstrates the Communist Party of China's firm stance against corruption, regardless of who the perpetrators are and what positions they hold, the flagship newspaper of the Chinese People's Liberation Army said.

An editorial published on Saturday evening in the PLA Daily, following the announcement of the probe, said that senior officers Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli caused "tremendous damage" to the nation's efforts "to build the military's combat capability".

Zhang is a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission, while Liu is a CMC member and chief of staff of the CMC Joint Staff Department.

The Ministry of National Defense announced on Saturday afternoon that Zhang and Liu were under investigation for suspected serious violations of Party discipline and the law. The probe decision was made by the CPC Central Committee, ministry spokesman Jiang Bin said.

The PLA Daily editorial said the two officials, despite holding senior posts, "severely betrayed the trust" of the CPC Central Committee and the CMC. It accused the two of "seriously trampling on and undermining the system of ultimate responsibility resting with the CMC chairman".

They "seriously fueled political and corruption problems that weaken the Party's absolute leadership over the military and endangered the foundations of the Party's governance", while also "seriously damaging the image and authority of the CMC leadership", it said.

According to the PLA Daily article, Zhang and Liu have caused "tremendous damage" to the political ecosystem and combat capability of the military, and brought "extremely negative impacts" to the Party, the nation and the armed forces.

The investigation, which is in accordance with Party discipline and the law, will set things right and "remove toxic influences" politically, ideologically and organizationally, and "help the people's armed forces to undergo a thorough renewal, injecting strong momentum into the drive to build a strong military", it said.

The editorial noted that the probe once again demonstrates the "full-coverage and zero-tolerance" approach of the CPC Central Committee and the CMC in fighting corruption, as well as their clear position on "investigating every case till the end, no matter how many are involved or how deep the trail goes".

The probe decision "fully highlights the Party's rock-solid resolve to carry the anti-corruption fight through to the end", and sends a clear message that "no one, no matter how high their post, will be shown leniency if they indulge in corruption", it said.

The article emphasized that the decisive investigation of Zhang and Liu is a major achievement in the anti-corruption efforts of the Party and the military, and a significant reflection of their determination and capability.

"Corruption is an obstacle and stumbling block in the development of the Party and the country, and combating it is a major struggle that cannot be lost and must never be lost," it said.

Practice has proved that the deeper the armed forces go in fighting corruption, the stronger, cleaner and more combat-capable they become, the editorial said, adding that the more thorough the anti-graft drive is, the greater the confidence and resolve the armed forces will have in achieving the PLA's centenary goals.

The article emphasized that the recent concentration of anti-graft investigations does not mean that corruption is becoming worse, but that the probes are "digging deeper". It urged the entire military to vigorously restore and carry forward the glorious tradition and fine conduct of the Party and the military, and to "continuously purify thinking, cleanse the military, and foster a healthy political ecosystem".

Efforts should be made to effectively address all forms of corruption, further confine power within an institutional framework, and tackle the soil and conditions that breed corruption, the editorial said.

"Party members and officials in the military, especially those in senior positions, should take those punished for corruption as a warning, and consciously promote ideological defenses, uphold power boundaries, adhere to disciplinary red lines and family conduct standards, maintain political integrity and ensure clean governance," it added.