China's military must not let down those who gave their lives for the Communist Party in the revolutionary struggle and must resolutely fight corruption, Xinhua News Agency on Saturday quoted President Xi Jinping as saying after a high-level scandal.

Xi has made weeding out corruption in the armed forces a top goal. This week, the government said one of China's most senior former military officers, Xu Caihou, had confessed to taking "massive" bribes in exchange for help in promotions.

Xu retired as vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission - which Xi heads and which controls the country's 2.3 million-strong armed forces - last year and from the Party's decision-making Politburo in 2012.