A former top military official in China has been expelled from the ruling Communist Party over corruption allegations.

The official Xinhua News Agency reported on Monday that Gen. Xu Caihou, a former deputy chairman of the party's Central Military Commission, which controls China’s army, has been accused of accepting money and property in exchange for promotions and other favors.

He has reportedly been held under house arrest for several months and his case is now handed over to prosecutors.

The 71-year-old was until 2012 a member of the Communist Party's 25-strong Politburo, which supervises Chinese politics and legal affairs.

Xinhua report said the decision to expel Gen Xu and hand him over to military prosecutors was made during a Politburo meeting presided over by President Xi Jinping.

“The whole party and armed forces should be fully aware of the time-consuming, complicated and tough mission to fight corruption,” a statement issued after the meeting said, adding, “Anyone...[regardless of their positions] will receive serious punishment if [they] violate Party disciplines and laws. We will never compromise, nor show mercy.”

Reports said that three other senior figures were also expelled from the Communist Party for corruption on Monday - Jiang Jiemin, head of China's state-owned assets watchdog, former vice minister of public security, Li Dongsheng, and Wang Yongchun, a former vice president of China National Petroleum Corp.

SS