China is intensifying its uncompromising fight against corruption, targeting both high-ranking officials and grassroots misconduct in a sweeping campaign that has addressed over 768,000 cases since 2022. The 20th Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), the top anti-graft body of the Communist Party of China (CPC), is convening its annual session from Monday to Wednesday to set this year’s anti-corruption agenda.
According to the Party’s constitution, the CPC must “make comprehensive efforts” to ensure that “the fight against corruption keeps going.” Echoing these words, Chinese leadership recently urged officials to remain exceptionally clear-headed about the state of the anti-corruption fight, pledging zero tolerance for corruption in any form.
Addressing Corruption at the Grassroots Level
Since the 20th National Congress of the CPC in 2022, China has tackled 768,000 cases of misconduct and corruption that directly affect people’s livelihoods, resulting in 628,000 individuals being punished and 20,000 cases transferred to procuratorial organs, according to the National Commission of Supervision (NCS).
Strong measures have been taken in critical sectors such as health, education, and rural affairs. The NCS reported that 23,000 individuals were disciplined for embezzling funds intended for student meals, interfering in procurement processes, accepting kickbacks, among other irregularities.
To combat corruption in the management of rural collective funds, assets, and resources, supervisory and judicial authorities investigated 153,000 cases of embezzlement and illegal disposal of collective assets, leading to the punishment of 132,000 individuals. Additionally, approximately 40,000 individuals faced disciplinary action for medical misconduct, with 2,634 serious cases transferred to prosecutors for further investigation.
Targeting High-Level Corruption
“Look at what I have done; I am so ashamed and disgraced,” confessed Tang Yijun, former chairman of the Jiangxi Provincial Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), in an anti-graft documentary aired by China Media Group (CMG) on Sunday.
Tang abused his power to seek benefits for others in enterprise operations, job promotions, and legal case handling, illegally accepting significant amounts of money and valuables. The Supreme People’s Procuratorate (SPP) ordered his arrest for suspected bribe-taking in October 2024.
China’s anti-corruption campaign targets both “swatting the flies”—addressing low-ranking corrupt officials—and “taking out the tigers”—pursuing high-ranking ones like Tang. In 2024, the country apprehended 58 “tigers,” the largest number in the past decade.
Intensifying the Fight Against Bribery
Combating bribery remains a major focus of China’s anti-corruption efforts. Since the 20th National Congress of the CPC, a series of institutional measures, including bribery law revisions and coordinated penalty mechanisms, have been introduced to combat both bribe-taking and bribe-giving.
With evolving forms of bribery, corrupt practices have become harder to trace. In one case, Fan Yifei, former vice governor of the People’s Bank of China, used his brother’s investment company to secretly amass wealth. Instead of offering cash, bribe-givers provided fake investment projects, with his brother’s company profiting from fraudulent agreements that required no actual money.
In response, anti-corruption agencies have strengthened collaboration with public security, taxation, and auditing departments, leveraging advanced technologies such as big data and cloud computing to uncover deeply entrenched corruption.
Efforts have also intensified to punish those who offer bribes. In the first three quarters of 2024, anti-graft watchdogs investigated 19,000 individuals for offering bribes, with 2,972 cases transferred to procuratorial organs for further investigation and prosecution, according to reports.
In its ongoing efforts to track down corrupt fugitives, China secured the return of 1,306 individuals who had fled abroad and recovered illicit assets totaling 15.4 billion yuan (about $2.1 billion) between January and November 2024.
As the CCDI convenes to map out its anti-corruption agenda for the year, China’s unwavering commitment to fighting corruption continues to be a significant force shaping the nation’s political and social landscape. The intensified efforts reflect the CPC’s determination to uphold integrity, ensuring that both “tigers” and “flies” are held accountable, and fostering a fair and transparent environment for all.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
