Chinese President Xi Jinping says country has won an ‘overwhelming’ victory in corruption battle – but warns more work is needed to tackle problem

In a speech to the Politburo, Xi says he hopes that officials will not even by tempted by corrupt activities

Chinese leader warns that the drive is a battle the party cannot afford to lose as it will help maintain its rule

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Xi Jinping said the party could not afford to lose the battle. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 7:03pm, 19 Jun 2022

Chinese President Xi Jinping has said there has been an “overwhelming victory” in the country’s anti-corruption campaign but warned the Communist Party not to let its guard down in the ongoing struggle.

Addressing the 25-strong Politburo of the Communist Party on Friday, Xi said anti-corruption efforts are a key political struggle that the party cannot afford to lose, state news agency Xinhua reported on Saturday.

He said the fight against corruption has won support for the party and improved solidarity among its members, adding that “self-revolution” would help maintain its lasting rule.

Beijing is set to host the party congress in the second half of this year, a once-every-five-years event that is expected to see new faces promoted to senior positions and mark the start of Xi’s third term as the party’s leader.

Speaking at a Politburo “collective study” session on Friday, Xi said there should be zero tolerance toward corruption and policies to make sure officials are not involved in corruption because they “do not dare to, are not able to and do not want to”.

He also told the session: “The fight against corruption has won an overwhelming victory and has been consolidated comprehensively, but the situation remains critical and complex.”