China’s Anti-graft Drive: Over 1.5 Million Officials Punished In Five Years

President Xi Jinping launched the onslaught a month after his election in November 2012.

More than 1.5 million Communist Party of China, CPC officials - out of the total membership of 89 million - were punished for corruption in the past five years during President Xi Jinping’s first term of office. Some 440 provincial level officials were investigated. These included 43 members and alternate members of the CPC Central Committee, and nine members of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, the anti-graft body.

More than 8,900 city level officials and over 63,000 county level officials were punished during the period. A total of 278,000 grassroots party members and officials were also sanctioned. Some 3,453 corrupt officials who fled overseas were arrested in more than 90 countries and about 1.41 billion US dollars (795 billion FCFA) recovered. Out of the 100 most-wanted Chinese fugitives on Interpol’s red notice list, 48 were arrested.

The current two-month exhibition in the Chinese capital, Beijing of the achievements of Xi Jinping in the past five years ago also contains pictures of convicted senior party leaders, the amounts stolen and their letters of apology to the nation for their actions. 

Addressing the opening of the 19^th CPC national congress in Beijing on October 18, 2017, Xi Jinping said no place was out of bounds, no ground left unturned and no tolerance shown in the fight against corruption since 2012. A month after his election for the first term, President Xi Jinping in December 2012 rolled out an 8-point frugality code to tackle spiraling corruption and party indiscipline. Under the rules, party leaders cannot accept welcome banners, red carpets, floral arrangements or big receptions during official visits.