In China, we don’t joke about the fight against corruption

This has been one of President Xi Jinping’s priorities since he came to power ten years ago. And the year 2023 which has just ended is one of all records.

In just a few months, China’s relentless campaign against corruption has brought down thousands of civil servants, ministers, bankers, hospital directors, senior army officers and even football club administrators. Even if the word corruption is rarely mentioned, the authorities preferring to talk about “serious violations of law and discipline”, last year 114,000 people were investigated. On arrival, disciplinary procedures, but also very often, prison.

And high-ranking people do not escape the purge. 45 officials, working in the very highest echelons of the Communist Party, were thrown in cells last year for stories of bribes or money stored abroad. There have never been so many. Some were even sentenced to life imprisonment. And being out of business doesn’t protect you any further. This year some rather elderly retirees were accused of acts dating back 10 or 20 years.

There are sanctions but also measures to fight corruption such as a little less administrative formalities and bureaucracy which place civil servants in a position of abuse of power. In ten years, China has moved up 15 places in the Transparency International rankings on the perception of corruption. This does not, however, prevent the practice of the small envelope under the table or the gift that is a little too generous. And the problem is that Xi Jinping is not initiating any structural changes to attack the evil at the roots. For that we would have to accept transparency.

As early as 2015, Xi Jinping declared war to “tigers” and “flies” :

However, the witch hunt is not going to stop. “Only continued cleansing can ensure the party remains powerful,” assures Xi Jinping who has just relaunched his program for 10 years. Or how to consolidate one’s power through a perpetual purge which allows one to remove one’s rivals. The weapon of fear spares no one. In February the Chinese leader even designated the inspectors responsible for anti-corruption controls as a target. It is necessary, he said “turn the blade inward and cut through the rotting flesh.” The perverse effect is that bureaucrats or local leaders are paralyzed. They no longer dare to make the slightest decision even though the struggling Chinese economy needs leadership and initiative.