In a stark warning, President Xi Jinping on Monday addressed the growing issue of corruption within China’s Communist Party, calling it the “biggest threat” to the party’s survival. His comments were made during the opening of a three-day congress of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), China’s top anti-graft body. Xi’s remarks reflect a long-running and increasingly entrenched issue in both the political and economic fabric of the country.
Rising Corruption in China
Xi’s warning comes amid ongoing high-profile corruption investigations that have shaken the party’s leadership. These include probes into a deputy central bank governor, a former chairman of China’s largest oil and gas company, and a top Chinese admiral. Notably, China’s anti-corruption efforts have targeted officials at all levels, with the CCDI reporting a record number of 58 senior officials, referred to as “tigers,” investigated in 2023.
Prominent Figures Among the Investigated
Among those investigated were Tang Renjian, former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and Gou Zhongwen, former head of China’s General Administration of Sport. High-ranking officials such as Wang Yilin, the former chairman of China National Petroleum Corp, also faced scrutiny.
Xi’s focus on corruption within the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has intensified, with the recent removal of Defence Minister Li Shangfu and the expulsion of his predecessor, Wei Fenghe, from the Communist Party for “serious violations of discipline.”
Deepening Challenges in Anti-Corruption Efforts
Despite aggressive crackdowns over the past decade, Xi and experts, such as Andrew Wedeman from Georgia State University, caution that corruption remains widespread at the top of the party-state and the military. The challenges are compounded by more sophisticated forms of bribery, such as stock or asset transfers to family members instead of direct cash payments.
China’s anti-corruption efforts are also increasingly focused on grassroots corruption, with cases such as a primary school director profiting from meal kickbacks and rural officials taking bribes from contractors gaining attention.
Public Perception of Corruption
Experts suggest that addressing corruption at all levels, from high-ranking officials to low-level bureaucrats, is crucial for the Communist Party to maintain public trust. “Compared to the ‘tigers’ far away, the public feels more strongly about the corruption around them,” said Sun Laibin, a professor at Peking University’s School of Marxism. The party aims to ensure that the fight against corruption resonates deeply with the people, so they feel the care of the leadership.
As Xi Jinping continues his anti-corruption campaign, it is clear that addressing this issue will remain central to the Communist Party’s ongoing legitimacy and stability. The country’s leadership appears determined to tackle corruption at every level, reinforcing the message that no official, regardless of their rank, is immune from scrutiny.