Beijing, Aug 3 (IANS): A handful of corrupt officers cannot alter the "true color" of the People's Liberation Army, a PLA daily commentary said on Monday.

The commentary came days after the announcement of an investigation into Guo Boxiong, former vice chairman of the central military commission.

Guo has been expelled from the Communist Party of China and his corruption case has been transferred to military prosecutors, according to Xinhua news agency.

The commentary said the people will neither dismiss the achievements nor the good image of the PLA just because of a few isolated cases.

"The PLA, after removing its own tumour, will become healthier," it said.

"An army adept at self-purifying and self-reforming, and an army that dares to rise above the ashes will live up to people's expectations," the commentary said.

A history of more than eight decades has proved that the PLA has always been trusted by the party and the people.

The commentary urged service men and women not to be distracted, but to concentrate their energy and efforts on building a strong military, and on maintaining a high degree of stability and solidarity in the military.