President Xi Jinping has pledged to strike harshly against military corruption as the People's Liberation Army prepares for its 87th anniversary on Friday.

Xi, who heads the Central Military Commission, urged troops to strengthen their ties with the people and avoid undesirable work styles such as formalism, bureaucracy, hedonism and extravagance.

The president made the remarks during a visit on Wednesday to the headquarters of the military region of Fujian, where he worked for 17 years.