Xi’s party congress report warns no letting up in China’s corruption fight
President Xi Jinping said that while the Communist Party of China (CPC) has achieved decisive victory in its fight against corruption, the battle will be a protracted one as long as there are conditions encouraging graft.
Analysts believe that by indicating there will be no let-up in graft busting, Xi is also warning potential political opponents of the ramifications of going against him.
“We have rectified some stubborn diseases that have not emerged for many years… and achieved an overwhelming victory in the anti-corruption struggle, and comprehensively consolidated and eliminated the serious hidden dangers existing within the party, state and military,” he said at the party congress on Sunday.
This was achieved through “taking out tigers, swatting flies and hunting foxes”, a euphemism for going after officials at all levels, which he described as “unprecedented” in history.
In November 2012, then President Hu Jintao warned that systemic corruption could lead to the downfall of the CPC and, by extension, China. Xi, in his first speech later that month as general secretary of the CPC, also pointed to corruption as the most pressing challenge to the party, marking the start of a sweeping anti-corruption campaign.
A decade on, this has become a hallmark of his tenure, with over four million investigations conducted on officials at all levels, a party congress spokesman said on the eve of the meeting.
And Xi shows no sign of backing down.
“We will intensify efforts to uproot corruption in sectors with a high concentration of power, funds and resources,” he said in a work report delivered at the party congress.
“We will strictly investigate and handle cases of corruption where leading officials’ spouses, children, children’s spouses, other relatives or staff use their influence to seek personal gain.
“Corruption is the biggest cancer that harms the vitality and combat effectiveness of the party, and anti-corruption is the most thorough self-revolution. As long as there are the soil and conditions for corruption, the fight against corruption will not stop for a moment.”
In the months leading up to the congress, several high-profile officials were taken down by graft allegations. Beijing often announces such arrests or investigations ahead of the congress to remind cadres to be loyal.
In September, former vice-minister for public security Sun Lijun was given a suspended death sentence after admitting to accepting bribes, abusing his powers for personal favors, and illegally possessing firearms.
Others members of his “political clique”, as described by state broadcaster CCTV, were also charged with corruption. These include former minister of justice Fu Zhenghua and three former police chiefs.
Liu Yanping, a former chief of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection who functioned as China’s graft buster, has also been charged with corruption.
Assistant Professor Dylan Loh from Nanyang Technological University’s Public Policy and Global Affairs division, said: “(Xi’s strong words) signal that there is going to be no let-up in what they have been doing and pursuing.
“It also conveniently means that it will continue to be politically precarious not to be on the side of Xi.”