Chinese President Xi Jinping says corruption remains biggest threat to Communist Party

Strict governance must be maintained ‘to ensure the development goals and tasks of the 14th five-year plan are fulfilled’, he says at corruption watchdog’s annual conference

He also calls on regulators to tighten oversight of the financial sector

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Xi Jinping says the threat of corruption remains serious. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 3:18pm, 23 Jan 2021Updated: 9:22pm, 23 Jan 2021

Chinese President Xi Jinping has reiterated the need to fight corruption if the country is to achieve its economic and political goals.

Speaking on Friday at the annual conference of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), Xi said the threat of corruption remained serious, and promised to get tough on Communist Party officials who feigned loyalty while engaging in corrupt activities.

“As the biggest risk threatening the party’s governance, corruption still exists,” state media quoted him as saying.

“The struggle between corruption and anti-corruption efforts will continue to exist for a long period to come,” he said.

“[We must] thoroughly implement the principle of exercising strict governance over the party and maintain the political orientation … to ensure the development goals and tasks of the 14th five-year plan are fulfilled.”

The situation was “severe and complex”, he said, adding that political and economic issues were becoming intertwined.