China’s anti-corruption watchdog says 110,000 Communist Party officials faced disciplinary action last year

INTERNATIONAL DESK: About 110,000 Chinese Communist Party officials faced disciplinary action last year as part of the ongoing drive to clean up the party’s act, according to the country’s top anti-corruption body.

The figures published by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) on Sunday represent a 13 per cent increase in the number of cases compared with the previous year.

There is little sign of Beijing easing up on its latest crackdown more than a year after the party’s national congress in October 2022, when President Xi Jinping began an unprecedented third term as China’s paramount leader and filled most key positions with his loyalists.

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Last year saw the commission launching corruption probes into a 45 senior officials, a record number, according to a tally by the Post.

Other signs suggest that more senior figures under also under investigation. Apart from last year’s shock removal of Qin Gang as foreign minister and Li Shangfu as defence minister after just months in their jobs, nine senior military officials were abruptly dismissed by China’s national legislative body, the National People’s Congress.

Despite previously hailing an “overwhelming victory” against corruption, Xi told the CCDI’s annual planning event earlier this month that the party must continue to fight graft and other problems with “tenacity, perseverance and precision” to transcend “the historical cycle of rise and fall”.

The CCDI said last year’s disciplinary cases covered breaches of the eight rules on official conduct that Xi laid down soon after taking over as head of the party in late 2012.

These rules, enforced by the CCDI, are intended to ensure a thrifty and responsible working style for officials and cover everything from a ban on extravagant banquets and receptions to avoiding unnecessary meetings and red tape.

Of those punished, more than 41,000 officials fell foul of the watchdog for failing to carry out their duties properly by “failing to take responsibility” or “paying lip service” to their orders. The watchdog particularly highlighted failures to implement development or environmental protection policies – two of Xi’s main priorities.

A further 40,000 were punished for receiving expensive gifts, money or attending lavish meals and celebrations, while another 10,000 were reprimanded for issuing or receiving benefits without approval.

In publishing the figures, the commission also warned party officials that they must closely follow the disciplinary rules – especially in the build-up to Lunar New Year, which begins on February 10.

“[We will] strengthen warnings and deterrents, and educate and guide party members and cadres so they will celebrate the festival in a clean manner,” it said.

Beside disciplinary action, several provinces including Guangdong, Anhui, Henan, Zhejiang and Fujian have adopted a policy of naming and shaming officials who are slacking off from performing their duties in recent months.

Deng Yuwen, a former deputy editor of Study Times, the official newspaper of the Central Party School where cadres are trained, said Xi had not let up on the anti-corruption crackdown because the disciplinary apparatus was his most powerful tool for forging a clean and efficient team to steer the country ahead.

“China’s party-state system does not allow any opposition parties that can keep the ruling party in check, and there is little media freedom too,” he said.

He said the “eight rules” discipline campaign began with a focus on curbing rampant extravagance among party officials, but it was now trying to ensure that policy priorities were implemented by turning the spotlight onto those who neglected their duties.

“Many officials switched to goblin mode [refusing to perform tasks they do not want to do] after the anti-corruption campaign as they think they can better survive the purge if they don’t do anything,” said Deng, who is now living in the United States.

“But Xi is backing up his harsh corruption crackdown with a tough official conduct rectification campaign to ensure no one can slack off. All have to get up and march in his direction.” (SCMP)