China’s political will at the highest level is the decisive factor in the country’s success in controlling once-rampant corruption. It was made possible by the unequivocal determination of the country’s paramount leader, Xi Jinping, to root out corruption as general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and president of the People’s Republic of China. This unwavering commitment is now yielding widely recognized results.
Since the 20th National Congress of the CPC in 2022, the National Supervisory Commission (NSC), the country’s highest anti-corruption agency, has investigated over 768,000 cases involving unfair or corrupt actions by officials, punishing some 628,000 of them, including 34 senior officials at the provincial or ministerial level. In 2024 alone, 47 senior officials at the vice-ministerial level were investigated for disciplinary violations, and condign punishment meted out. For example, on Dec 17, an official from the Inner Mongolia autonomous region was sentenced to death for massive corruption involving 3 billion yuan ($409 million). This underscores the Party’s determination for self-reform, regardless of the seniority of the individuals involved. These numbers are not just statistics; they are a testament to the monumental scale of China’s anti-corruption efforts.
Additionally, from April through July last year, a Party-wide campaign on discipline education was launched, during which all CPC members studied the newly revised regulations on discipline to strengthen their awareness and ensure they remain loyal, honest and responsible.
This political will was reinforced by Xi’s remarks in his opening address at the fourth plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, held on Jan 6-8. He emphasized that the fight against corruption must be conducted in the spirit of self-reform and self-revolution, requiring unwavering determination and a zero-tolerance approach. He reiterated a three-pronged approach to ensure that public officials dare not and cannot be corrupt and also do not want to be corrupt. He promised robust actions cracking down on violations of Party discipline, as well as pointless formalities, bureaucratism, hedonism and extravagance. He stressed that both bribe-takers and -givers will be punished, and the fight against corruption will extend to the grassroots level. Xi’s central message is that this battle will be fought with unwavering determination and without giving any quarter.
Internationally, China should share its experiences and best practices with countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative and the BRICS family, establishing a comprehensive network to further international economic and social development
Timed to coincide with the fourth plenary session, a four-episode TV documentary was aired on China Central Television beginning Jan 5. The first episode revealed corruption cases involving grassroots officials directly affecting people’s livelihoods concerning housing, food and transportation. It is a welcome new approach, as Xi has often stated that the fight against corruption should target not only the “tigers” but also the “flies” that harm grassroots interests. The episode sparked heated and constructive discussions on Chinese social media. Extending the zero-tolerance approach to include grassroots corruption has been welcomed by the general public, who are often the primary victims of petty corruption, such as extortion for bribes in employment, education, healthcare and elder care. As Liu Jinguo, director of the NSC, said, citizens need to “truly feel that the wind of change for righteousness against corruption is increasing, and that the breeze is around them”.
Few ruling parties in the world, if any, have the determination to conduct self-scrutiny like the CPC. In contrast, consider the Japanese ruling party, the Liberal Democratic Party, which has tolerated widespread political corruption and scandals for decades, and which finally got its comeuppance in a humiliating electoral defeat. In Italy, where political nepotism is rife, its Parliament recently abolished the offense of “abuse of office”, enabling members to ignore conflicts of interest for personal gain without committing an offense. In the US, powerful individuals often evade punishment. President Joe Biden used his presidential prerogative to pardon his son for serious criminal offenses without facing any immediate adverse consequences, while Donald Trump, who was convicted by a jury of making inappropriate payments to a porn star, was reelected president and is expected to overturn his felony charges. This speaks volumes about the integrity and morality of ruling parties in those countries, not to mention the sorry state of those countries’ rule of law.
In contrast, the fourth plenary session suggested that China will elevate the fight against corruption in the coming year.
Internally, China will continue to promote efficiency and meritocracy throughout its administrative ranks, while giving equal emphasis to abiding by the principles of integrity and moral responsibility.
Internationally, China should share its experiences and best practices with countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative and the BRICS family, establishing a comprehensive network to further international economic and social development. The Belt and Road Initiative has been leveraged to promote corruption-free business operations, as demonstrated by China hosting the thematic forum on the “Clean Silk Road” during last year’s third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. To this end, the Hong Kong ICAC, whose commissioner currently chairs the International Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities, should endeavor to bring about tighter international cooperation among all national anti-corruption bodies to better combat all cross-border crimes.
The author is a retired deputy commissioner of Hong Kong’s Independent Commission Against Corruption and an international anti-corruption consultant.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.
