Key facts
- China's anti-corruption campaign, initiated by Xi Jinping in 2012, continues to discipline millions of party members and officials.
- The number of disciplined officials has doubled over the past decade, with a significant increase observed in 2024.
- Revisions to disciplinary codes have broadened the definition of violations, granting the party more control.
- Lower-level officials constitute the vast majority of those investigated and punished.
- Violations related to gift-giving and receiving have become more prevalent, linked to networking and power-for-money transactions.
Since becoming General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party in November 2012, Xi Jinping has spearheaded an extensive anti-corruption campaign, which has become a defining policy of his leadership. The campaign, aimed at maintaining the party's power and legitimacy, has led to the investigation and punishment of millions of party members and officials.
Recent analysis indicates a striking anomaly: the number of disciplined officials has not declined, as might be expected from a successful anti-corruption drive, but has instead more than doubled over the past decade. This trend has led to questions about the campaign's effectiveness and suggests a potential shift from a focus on purging rivals to a broader strategy of control.
Evidence for this shift is seen in successive revisions of the party's discipline code, expanding the definition of violations. These new rules are often vaguely worded, providing the party with greater discretion. Data from 2023-24 shows that a significant percentage of disciplined officials are accused of violating these newer regulations.
While early stages of the campaign may have targeted political rivals, recent disciplinary actions appear to involve officials with no known connections to Xi's opposition, with many having received promotions after his rise to power. The data indicates that lower-level officials, particularly at the county and township levels, consistently form the vast majority of those investigated and punished.
Specifically, violations related to giving and receiving gifts, which are central to networking and power-for-money transactions, have seen a substantial increase, doubling since 2015 and accounting for nearly half of all violations in 2024. The campaign is expected to further intensify its reach by targeting micro-corruption and issues perceived as 'people-centric'.