https://www.scmp.com/rss/315746/feed Xi Jinping, Chinese president and general secretary of the Communist Party, launched in 2012 a high-profile campaign targeting party, government, military and state-owned company officials suspected of corruption. The campaign has led to the investigation and prosecution of hundreds of officials across the country. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang Ma Xingrui, a member of China’s Politburo and the former Communist Party boss of Xinjiang, is being investigated by the anti-corruption watchdog, state news agency Xinhua reported on Friday. He is the third member of the ruling party’s elite political body to come under investigation in the current term that began in 2022, a situation unseen in decades. He Weidong, former vice-chairman of the powerful Central Military Commission (CMC), is also being investigated and was expelled from the party... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348968/ma-xingrui-third-politburo-member-investigated-chinas-anti-corruption-bodies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348968/ma-xingrui-third-politburo-member-investigated-chinas-anti-corruption-bodies?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 10:05:08 +0000 Xinlu Liang Xinlu Liang A former top official of Guangdong province, widely seen as a “right-hand man” of former provincial governor Ma Xingrui, is under investigation for corruption. The investigation into Guo Yonghang, Communist Party secretary for Guangzhou from June 2023 until December, deepens the uncertainties about the fate of Ma, who was abruptly removed as Xinjiang’s party secretary in July and has since vanished from public life. Guo was named vice-chairman of the Guangdong provincial committee of the Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348206/china-puts-ma-xingrui-protege-guo-yonghang-under-investigation-corruption?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348206/china-puts-ma-xingrui-protege-guo-yonghang-under-investigation-corruption?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2026 01:00:13 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng Tan Ruisong, the former boss of China’s top military aviation company, has been given a suspended death sentence for reaping over 613 million yuan (US$89 million) from bribes and insider trading. Tan, 64, was the chairman and Communist Party secretary of state-owned Aviation Industry Corp of China (AVIC) – China’s leading military aircraft maker – from 2018 until his retirement in March 2023. He is one of the most prominent defence sector executives to come under investigation in President Xi... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347885/former-defence-exec-tan-ruisong-given-death-sentence-exceptional-corruption?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347885/former-defence-exec-tan-ruisong-given-death-sentence-exceptional-corruption?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 12:00:08 +0000 Xinlu Liang Xinlu Liang A senior Chinese financial regulator and former graft fighter has been placed under investigation for corruption, officials announced on Tuesday, marking one of the highest-profile purges among China’s financial regulatory apparatus in recent years. Zhou Liang, vice-chairman of the National Financial Regulatory Administration (NFRA), is under investigation for “serious violations of discipline and law”, a euphemism for corruption, bribery and abuse of power, according to an announcement by the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3347731/senior-chinese-financial-regulator-and-ex-graft-fighter-zhou-liang-under-corruption-probe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3347731/senior-chinese-financial-regulator-and-ex-graft-fighter-zhou-liang-under-corruption-probe?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 10:58:44 +0000 Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang The mayor of China’s southwestern metropolis of Chongqing has been placed under investigation by the country’s top anti-corruption agency. The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) issued a statement on Friday saying that Hu Henghua, mayor of Chongqing and deputy secretary of the city’s Communist Party municipal committee, was under investigation for “serious violations of discipline and law” – a term commonly used to refer to corruption. Chongqing is among China’s four centrally... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3347347/chongqing-mayor-under-investigation-chinas-anti-corruption-crackdown-gathers-pace?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3347347/chongqing-mayor-under-investigation-chinas-anti-corruption-crackdown-gathers-pace?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 10:52:41 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang Jiang Chaoliang, Communist Party chief of Hubei when Covid-19 first hit the province and a former prominent banker, has been charged with accepting “an especially huge amount” of bribes starting in the 1990s. The investigation into his case, first announced in February last year, has closed, and the Nanjing Municipal People’s Procuratorate has filed a public prosecution with the Nanjing Intermediate People’s Court, according to a statement on Tuesday from the Supreme People’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3346885/former-banker-and-hubei-party-boss-indicted-accepting-especially-huge-bribes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3346885/former-banker-and-hubei-party-boss-indicted-accepting-especially-huge-bribes?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 09:15:35 +0000 Meredith Chen Meredith Chen China will enact a law to combat cross-border corruption this year, according to the top legislature’s work report released on Monday – a move aimed at preventing corruption by companies overseas, which some experts said could shield them from foreign “long-arm jurisdiction”. The work report, submitted by the National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee to the fourth session of the 14th NPC for deliberation, provided no details or specific timeline for the legislation. The law is expected... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3346010/china-eyes-cross-border-corruption-law-will-it-blunt-long-arm-west?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3346010/china-eyes-cross-border-corruption-law-will-it-blunt-long-arm-west?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 13:30:11 +0000 Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang Chinese President Xi Jinping has again sought to shore up the military’s ideological defences, demanding absolute loyalty to the Communist Party from all ranks, just weeks after the country’s top general came under investigation for corruption. “There must be no room within the military for those harbouring disloyalty towards the party, nor any shelter for corrupt individuals,” Xi told a meeting of military and armed police lawmakers on the sidelines of the National People’s Congress (NPC) on... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3345830/xi-jinpings-zero-fail-mission-chinas-military-total-loyalty-no-corruption?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3345830/xi-jinpings-zero-fail-mission-chinas-military-total-loyalty-no-corruption?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 14:00:07 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang The last uniformed man standing on China’s top military body has called for further “political rectification” of the armed forces, following a wave of high-profile corruption investigations. At a panel discussion in Beijing on Thursday as part of the country’s annual “two sessions”, Zhang Shengmin, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), said this year was “crucial for fulfilling the goal for the centenary” of the People’s Liberation Army. “We must deepen political rectification,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3345700/chinas-last-cmc-general-urges-more-political-rectification-pla-centenary-countdown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3345700/chinas-last-cmc-general-urges-more-political-rectification-pla-centenary-countdown?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 09:52:03 +0000 Yuanyue Dang,William Zheng Yuanyue Dang,William Zheng In the run-up to this year’s ‘two sessions’ – the annual meetings of China’s top legislature and political advisory body – high-level policymakers have stressed the need to defuse financial risks and root out political corruption, two of President Xi Jinping’s long-term priorities. As part of a series, Yuanyue Dang and William Zheng look at why the fight against graft is the new normal. As early as the start of President Xi Jinping’s second term in 2018, the Chinese leadership declared an... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3345287/chinas-war-corruption-just-end-beginning?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3345287/chinas-war-corruption-just-end-beginning?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 22:00:12 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen China has revoked the political advisory seats of three generals, including two who previously held key positions in the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) ground force, as the anti-corruption drive continues within the top brass and defence industry. Han Weiguo, Gao Jin and Liu Lei were removed from membership of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and their respective roles in its Standing Committee and relevant special committees, the political advisory body said on... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3345215/generals-stripped-cppcc-roles-chinas-corruption-clean-continues?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3345215/generals-stripped-cppcc-roles-chinas-corruption-clean-continues?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 05:00:09 +0000 Cao Li Cao Li The top executive of Wuliangye Yibin – China’s second-largest liquor producer – has come under investigation for suspected corruption. Zeng Congqin, 57, chairman and party secretary of the state-owned liquor giant, is suspected of serious violations of party discipline and law – a typical reference to corruption – the provincial anti-corruption body, Sichuan Discipline Inspection Commission, announced on Saturday night. Zeng is being investigated by authorities in Yibin, a major city in the... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3345009/chairman-chinas-second-largest-liquor-producer-under-corruption-probe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3345009/chairman-chinas-second-largest-liquor-producer-under-corruption-probe?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Mar 2026 06:10:34 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei Communist Party cadres have been put on notice over governance and performance appraisals as the ruling body counts down to leadership changes across the country and the start of the next five-year plan. In a campaign that will continue until July, officials from the county level up have been told to correct any deviations from the “correct” line in their own duties and in assessments of those under their watch. In an article on Wednesday, state news agency Xinhua suggested that breaches of this... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3344633/why-communist-party-warning-cadres-about-their-performance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3344633/why-communist-party-warning-cadres-about-their-performance?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Feb 2026 01:00:18 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang During the past decade, Chinese think tanks have had the best of two worlds – having the backing of the government while having some room to move outside it. Encouraged by the country’s leadership to promote China’s soft power, the sector has grown in influence as retired officials have come on board, bringing expertise, connections and some freedom. Not unlike their Western counterparts, these institutes have come to play major roles in Track 2 diplomacy and policy recommendations. But two... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3343977/end-golden-age-chinese-think-tanks-star-ex-officials?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3343977/end-golden-age-chinese-think-tanks-star-ex-officials?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Feb 2026 14:00:07 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei China’s anti-corruption watchdogs have again put cadres on notice, ordering tighter discipline and greater scrutiny of Communist Party officials in the countdown to next year’s leadership reshuffle. Among the fresh warnings on Thursday was a caution against associating with “political swindlers”, people who fraudulently claim to have links to senior officials so they can peddle promotions for cash. The orders were issued jointly by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3343527/beware-political-swindlers-chinas-cadres-warned-ahead-leadership-change?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3343527/beware-political-swindlers-chinas-cadres-warned-ahead-leadership-change?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Feb 2026 12:10:31 +0000 Luna Sun Luna Sun A senior executive at one of China’s major policy banks has been placed under investigation, becoming the latest target in a sweeping official anti-corruption drive across the financial sector. Xu Yiding, vice-president of the Agricultural Development Bank of China (ADBC) and member of its Communist Party committee, is suspected of “serious violations of party discipline and the law”, according to the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission. The two... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3342816/farmers-son-banker-xu-yiding-under-investigation-chinas-anti-corruption-watchdog?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3342816/farmers-son-banker-xu-yiding-under-investigation-chinas-anti-corruption-watchdog?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Feb 2026 15:00:14 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng Xiao Jie, a senior official in the Chinese province of Hainan who played a leading role in building reefs in disputed territories in the South China Sea, has been detained on suspicion of corruption. Xiao, 66, became the first Communist Party chief and mayor of Sansha when it was established as a prefecture-level city in 2012 to administer territories held by Beijing, including the Spratly Islands, Paracel Islands and Macclesfield Bank. He was accused of “serious violations of discipline and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3342648/hainan-official-who-played-key-role-building-south-china-sea-reefs-faces-corruption-probe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3342648/hainan-official-who-played-key-role-building-south-china-sea-reefs-faces-corruption-probe?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 09:00:10 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei China has removed three senior defence industry executives, including a nuclear weapons expert, from the national legislature as part of a deepening anti-corruption campaign. The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress on Wednesday said it had expelled Liu Cangli, former president of the China Academy of Engineering Physics, Luo Qi, chief engineer of the China National Nuclear Corporation, and Zhou Xinmin, former chairman of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China. It did not say... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3342411/china-expels-defence-industry-officials-legislature-amid-corruption-crackdown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3342411/china-expels-defence-industry-officials-legislature-amid-corruption-crackdown?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Feb 2026 13:49:39 +0000 Yuanyue Dang,William Zheng,Jun Mai Yuanyue Dang,William Zheng,Jun Mai Beijing’s bold move to remove top generals accused of corruption reflects its strategic assessment that overhauling the armed forces is more urgent, and that the issue of Taiwan can wait, according to military analysts. The investigation into China’s top commanders, Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli, has left the Central Military Commission (CMC), the country’s highest military command body, with just two members at present – President Xi Jinping, who is chairman of the CMC, and vice-chairman Zhang... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3342224/what-does-fall-pla-top-brass-zhang-youxia-say-about-beijings-taiwan-plans?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3342224/what-does-fall-pla-top-brass-zhang-youxia-say-about-beijings-taiwan-plans?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Feb 2026 22:00:48 +0000 Haining Gao Haining Gao – https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/military/article/3342176/power-and-politics-chinas-military?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/military/article/3342176/power-and-politics-chinas-military?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Feb 2026 03:10:31 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng The PLA’s anti-corruption investigations into top general Zhang Youxia and others will eliminate a watered-down combat capability resulting from corruption and give new momentum to the armed forces, the official paper of the Chinese military has said. “The resolute investigation and punishment of corrupt officials such as Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli removes obstacles and stumbling blocks that hinder the development of our cause,” the PLA Daily said in a front-page editorial on Monday. “It... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3342072/zhang-youxia-investigation-end-watered-down-capability-chinas-military?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3342072/zhang-youxia-investigation-end-watered-down-capability-chinas-military?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Feb 2026 07:01:12 +0000 Meredith Chen,William Zheng Meredith Chen,William Zheng A former Communist Party chief of the resource-rich Inner Mongolia autonomous region, who was also China’s first veterans affairs minister, is under investigation amid the country’s continuing anti-corruption campaign. Sun Shaocheng, 65, is being investigated by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection for “suspected serious violations of discipline and law”, a euphemism for corruption, the top disciplinary body said on Thursday. Sun serves as vice-chairman of the Social Development... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3341764/former-inner-mongolia-party-chief-veterans-minister-investigated-corruption?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3341764/former-inner-mongolia-party-chief-veterans-minister-investigated-corruption?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Jan 2026 06:00:12 +0000 Meredith Chen Meredith Chen China’s leadership has paid tribute to Liao Xilong, praising the late general for his loyalty to the Communist Party and military service. Liao, 85, who was in charge of overhauling military logistics, died on January 23, state news agency Xinhua reported on Thursday, the day of his funeral. “[Liao was] a time-tested and loyal communist warrior, an outstanding military commander, and an exemplary leader in advancing the comprehensive modernisation of military logistics,” the report said. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3341735/communist-warrior-chinas-leaders-pay-tribute-late-general-liao-xilong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3341735/communist-warrior-chinas-leaders-pay-tribute-late-general-liao-xilong?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jan 2026 15:00:22 +0000 Xinlu Liang Xinlu Liang Former top Chinese intelligence official Gao Yichen has been expelled from the Communist Party for corruption after being accused of receiving bribes and interfering with judicial matters. Gao, 75, former vice-minister of the Ministry of State Security, was found to have “seriously violated party discipline”, according to an official announcement by top anti-corruption watchdog Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) on Tuesday. He also served as deputy director of the party’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3340540/china-expels-former-intelligence-official-gao-yichen-communist-party-corruption?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3340540/china-expels-former-intelligence-official-gao-yichen-communist-party-corruption?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Jan 2026 08:44:23 +0000 Xinlu Liang Xinlu Liang Chinese President Xi Jinping has refocused national anti-corruption efforts on illegal villas and “private resorts”, luxury developments that have come to symbolise excess and graft over the past two decades. According to newly released excerpts of a speech, Xi singled out the developments for special mention at the central urban work conference in July, highlighting them as examples of the need to improve governance, combat corruption and promote sustainable urban development. “[Officials must]... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3340163/why-chinas-xi-jinping-putting-political-heat-back-illegal-villas-and-resorts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3340163/why-chinas-xi-jinping-putting-political-heat-back-illegal-villas-and-resorts?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Jan 2026 09:18:07 +0000 Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang Beijing has revealed how its graft-busters are investigating bribes paid in hard-to-trace cryptocurrencies by tracking the ways in which corrupt officials have been spending the proceeds. A documentary shown on state broadcaster CCTV on Wednesday highlighted the case of Yao Qian, the former director of the digital currency institute at the People’s Bank of China. Investigators became suspicious when Yao bought a villa in Beijing for more than 20 million yuan (around US$2.9 million) under the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3340038/how-chinese-corruption-busters-are-tracking-down-bribes-paid-cryptocurrency?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3340038/how-chinese-corruption-busters-are-tracking-down-bribes-paid-cryptocurrency?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Jan 2026 11:51:31 +0000 Xinlu Liang,Yuanyue Dang Xinlu Liang,Yuanyue Dang China’s anti-corruption watchdog has detailed how disgraced former banker and Communist Party chief of Hubei province Jiang Chaoliang received bribes for favours, ultimately landing himself and his brothers under investigation. The revelations came in an episode of a CCTV documentary series that aired on Tuesday night during the fifth plenary session of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI). Held at the beginning of each year, the session aims to sum up the achievements of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3339899/chinas-anti-corruption-watchdog-reveals-how-former-banker-fell-bribery-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3339899/chinas-anti-corruption-watchdog-reveals-how-former-banker-fell-bribery-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Jan 2026 11:08:22 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim Chinese President Xi Jinping has said there must be no room for corrupt elements to hide as he warned that the problem was a threat to the country’s development. On Monday, he told a plenary session of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) – China’s top anti-corruption body – that the country had made notable progress last year, but the issue remained a “major struggle”. “Corruption is a stumbling block and obstacle to the development of the [Communist] party and the country,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3339639/chinas-fight-against-corruption-battle-we-cant-afford-lose-xi-jinping-warns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3339639/chinas-fight-against-corruption-battle-we-cant-afford-lose-xi-jinping-warns?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Jan 2026 13:49:27 +0000 David Dodwell David Dodwell Alongside death and taxes, there are few things more universally certain than corruption in public procurement. That is a reality worth keeping front of mind in Hong Kong as we home in on those we want to blame for the tragic Wang Fuk Court fire that in November killed at least 161 people and left thousands homeless. The maintenance contracts may not have been public procurement contracts, but they were supposed to be strictly overseen by officials and subject to government regulations.... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3339224/root-out-corruption-hong-kongs-tai-po-fire-investigation-must-go-beyond-scapegoats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3339224/root-out-corruption-hong-kongs-tai-po-fire-investigation-must-go-beyond-scapegoats?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Jan 2026 08:30:09 +0000 Wenran Jiang Wenran Jiang For China’s leadership, the most urgent lesson of modern military power comes not from a foreign manual but from its own history books. Its catastrophic defeat by Japan in 1895, born of internal corruption, forms the invisible backdrop to every Chinese showcase of modern hardware. The recent live-fire drill around Taiwan code-named Justice Mission 2025 – a forceful display of Beijing’s resolve to achieve reunification and deter any challenge to its core interests – was no exception. To Beijing,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3338815/how-chinas-history-links-military-strength-fighting-corruption?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3338815/how-chinas-history-links-military-strength-fighting-corruption?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Jan 2026 01:30:11 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng Tian Xuebin, a State Council veteran who worked under several former premiers, has been placed under investigation by the top anti-corruption agency of China’s ruling Communist Party. The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), China’s highest political disciplinary and anti-corruption agency, announced on Monday that Tian, 62, had been detained for “suspected serious violations of discipline and law”, a euphemism for corruption. He last served as vice-minister of water resources... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3338796/china-continues-chase-corrupt-tigers-state-council-veteran-put-under-probe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3338796/china-continues-chase-corrupt-tigers-state-council-veteran-put-under-probe?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Jan 2026 11:04:41 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng China’s ruling Communist Party has vowed to press ahead with President Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign after a record 65 high-ranking officials were detained by the country’s top anti-graft agency last year. In a front-page editorial on Saturday, the People’s Daily stressed that self-reform and anti-corruption efforts were key to ensuring the longevity of the party’s rule over China. “A new year, a new journey begins,” the party mouthpiece said, urging intensified discipline in the coming... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3338596/xi-jinpings-anti-corruption-drive-snares-record-65-tigers-2025?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3338596/xi-jinpings-anti-corruption-drive-snares-record-65-tigers-2025?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Jan 2026 10:00:16 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng President Xi Jinping has sent a new warning to Chinese cadres – “no one should harbour any illusions” that they can get away with corruption as there will be no let-up in the long-running anti-graft campaign. He told officials at a key political meeting in October there would be no place for the corrupt to hide, according to excerpts from his speech released on Wednesday. “[We must] maintain a high-pressure stance against corruption at all times, investigate and punish corruption cases according... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3338375/we-must-not-give-corrupt-officials-any-hiding-place-xi-jinping-tells-cadres?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3338375/we-must-not-give-corrupt-officials-any-hiding-place-xi-jinping-tells-cadres?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Jan 2026 04:59:47 +0000 Haining Gao Haining Gao China’s top graft-buster ensnared 65 senior Chinese civilian officials, including eight at the ministerial-level, in 2025, marking a record high in Chinese President Xi Jinping’s crackdown on corruption campaign, according to a tally by the Post. Among the eight ministerial-level officials under investigation were former chairman of the Tibet autonomous region Qi Zhala, former governor of Shanxi Province Jin Xiangjun and former regulator of China’s equities market Yi Huiman. This year’s total... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3338273/chinas-never-ending-anti-corruption-campaign-2025-tracker?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3338273/chinas-never-ending-anti-corruption-campaign-2025-tracker?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 31 Dec 2025 07:08:40 +0000 Sylvie Zhuang Sylvie Zhuang Three more top-ranking Chinese officers have been expelled from the national legislature, becoming the latest to fall foul of an anti-corruption campaign sweeping through the military. The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress said on Saturday that it had expelled Wang Renhua, head of the Central Military Commission’s Political and Legal Affairs Committee; Zhang Hongbing, political commissar of the People’s Armed Police (PAP); and Wang Peng, director of the CMC’s training... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3337937/chinas-anti-corruption-campaign-claims-3-more-top-military-officers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3337937/chinas-anti-corruption-campaign-claims-3-more-top-military-officers?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 Dec 2025 08:59:40 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng China’s ruling Communist Party has vowed to keep up efforts to fight corruption next year after a record 63 high-ranking officials – known as “tigers” – were placed under investigation on suspicion of graft in 2025. During a meeting on Thursday, top decision-making body the Politburo also discussed a plan to improve conduct within the party, strengthen integrity and combat graft, official news agency Xinhua reported. It said officials at the meeting had agreed to “resolutely push forward the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3337759/china-vows-keep-fight-after-record-number-tigers-caught-corruption-net?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3337759/china-vows-keep-fight-after-record-number-tigers-caught-corruption-net?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Dec 2025 04:00:12 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng Two top PLA Air Force officers have become the latest military brass to miss a key political event, as the anti-corruption campaign in the Chinese military continues unabated. Footage broadcast by state television CCTV indicated that General Chang Dingqiu and Guo Puxiao, Air Force commander and political commissar, respectively, were not present at a ceremony on Monday to fill top-level vacancies caused by the sweeping crackdown. The event in Beijing was led by President Xi Jinping, who is also... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3337636/top-pla-air-force-duo-miss-key-military-event-led-xi-corruption-fight-rolls?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3337636/top-pla-air-force-duo-miss-key-military-event-led-xi-corruption-fight-rolls?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Dec 2025 10:00:45 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang The Chinese military is pushing for stricter rules on equipment purchases, including its pricing system, to stem corruption. According to a set of “professional ethics” released on Friday, the Central Military Commission’s (CMC) Equipment Development Department should foster “professional values in the new era”, with quality the top priority in equipment procurement. The department should serve the People’s Liberation Army with “integrity and clean practice”, the official PLA Daily quoted the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3337046/chinese-military-tightens-review-equipment-and-weapons-pricing-fight-corruption?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3337046/chinese-military-tightens-review-equipment-and-weapons-pricing-fight-corruption?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Dec 2025 10:00:14 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang The People’s Liberation Army has made a rare public appeal for tip-offs about procurement problems in its air force, as Beijing presses ahead with its anti-corruption campaign in the military. The announcement was posted on Monday on the PLA’s official procurement website – the main bid information platform for suppliers – seeking information about “irregular” procurement activities organised by air force units. It is the first time such a request has been made about a specific branch of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3336804/chinas-military-calls-tip-offs-it-targets-corruption-air-force-procurement?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3336804/chinas-military-calls-tip-offs-it-targets-corruption-air-force-procurement?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Dec 2025 02:00:09 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng The mainland Chinese military’s Eastern Theatre Command, the corruption-hit division that oversees Taiwan, appears to be headed by two recent additions to the command. The appointments will enable the command to maintain continuity of operations despite the corruption cases among its leadership, according to an analyst. PLA Air Force Lieutenant General Yang Zhibin, 62, and Lieutenant General Zhang Jichun, 57, stood alongside other senior officials at mainland China’s annual commemoration of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3336778/pla-division-overseeing-taiwan-sees-newcomers-charge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3336778/pla-division-overseeing-taiwan-sees-newcomers-charge?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Dec 2025 09:49:35 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng China has executed a former senior banker who was found guilty of taking more than 1.1 billion yuan (US$155 million) in bribes. Bai Tianhui, the former general manager of the asset management firm China Huarong International Holdings, was executed on Tuesday after the Supreme People’s Court approved the sentence, state broadcaster CCTV reported. The state-owned offshore unit Bai ran was taken over by Citic Group and renamed China Citic Financial Asset Management in January last year. It is rare... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3335722/former-chinese-senior-banker-bai-tianhui-executed-taking-us155-million-bribes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3335722/former-chinese-senior-banker-bai-tianhui-executed-taking-us155-million-bribes?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Dec 2025 11:00:08 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang Bi Jingquan, China’s former top food and drug regulator who received an international accolade for promoting innovation, has been expelled from the Communist Party and removed from public office on corruption charges. An investigation found that Bi had accepted gifts, money, trips and banquets and borrowed vehicles from private business owners, a statement from the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) said on Monday. The statement also said Bi had “allowed others to pay for him,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3335712/former-chief-chinas-food-and-drug-watchdog-ousted-communist-party?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3335712/former-chief-chinas-food-and-drug-watchdog-ousted-communist-party?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Dec 2025 08:00:15 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng The Chinese military has laid out new rules to strengthen political discipline and party loyalty, vowing to eradicate “erroneous political views and inappropriate remarks” and “fake combat capabilities”. The revisions to the supplementary rules to the implementation of the Communist Party’s disciplinary regulations will come into effect on January 1, 2026, and are part of an ongoing crackdown on corruption that has led to the downfall of several top generals in recent months. On Monday, PLA... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3334947/chinese-military-issues-new-rules-prioritise-strict-political-discipline?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3334947/chinese-military-issues-new-rules-prioritise-strict-political-discipline?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Dec 2025 04:00:10 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng Another senior official in Xinjiang has been placed under investigation amid Beijing’s vow to resolutely “eradicate the soil for corruption”. Chen Weijun, executive vice-chairman of Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, was “under disciplinary review and supervisory investigation” for suspected “serious violations of discipline and law”, China’s top anti-graft agency said on Sunday, referencing a euphemism for corruption. The announcement from the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI)... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3334793/no-soil-corruption-chen-weijun-joins-list-senior-xinjiang-officials-investigated?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3334793/no-soil-corruption-chen-weijun-joins-list-senior-xinjiang-officials-investigated?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Dec 2025 11:25:10 +0000 Yuanyue Dang,William Zheng Yuanyue Dang,William Zheng Even for the anti-graft era of President Xi Jinping, the wave of investigations into alleged corruption in the Chinese military over the past three years has been exceptional. Last month, nine senior People’s Liberation Army (PLA) officers were expelled from the Communist Party and the military, including He Weidong, formerly China’s second-highest-ranking military officer. They are accused of having “violated party discipline and allegedly committed serious crimes related to their duties” –... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3332692/top-pla-heads-have-rolled-chinas-hunt-corrupt-military-officials-may-be-here-stay?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3332692/top-pla-heads-have-rolled-chinas-hunt-corrupt-military-officials-may-be-here-stay?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Nov 2025 22:00:23 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei The PLA has banned four leading Chinese universities from tendering for military projects, accusing them of bid-rigging, as Beijing presses on with its anti-corruption drive in the armed forces. The procurement website of the People’s Liberation Army, the biggest defence purchasing platform open to the public, released four notices on Sunday accusing the universities of colluding on bids for the same project. According to the notices, the universities rigged their bids for a project for... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3332469/pla-bans-4-chinese-universities-procurement-process-bid-rigging?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3332469/pla-bans-4-chinese-universities-procurement-process-bid-rigging?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 Nov 2025 08:13:28 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei The Chinese military’s top general has pledged to crack down on “fake loyalty” and “two-faced men” and to speed up weapons development in the next five years. General Zhang Youxia, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission and a Politburo member, made the remarks in an article published as part of a collection supporting the Communist Party’s policy recommendations for the 15th five-year plan from 2026 to 2030. The articles – written by dozens of senior officials from all policy areas –... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3331516/chinas-top-general-vows-crack-down-fake-loyalty-and-two-faced-men?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3331516/chinas-top-general-vows-crack-down-fake-loyalty-and-two-faced-men?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Nov 2025 04:00:12 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang China’s Communist Party needs to enforce strict discipline to deal with external pressure and manage tough domestic development issues over the next five years, the president’s chief of staff has said. In an opinion piece in state-run People’s Daily on Monday, Cai Qi wrote of the “extreme importance of exercising full and rigorous party self-governance to achieve the economic and social development goals of the 15th five-year plan period”. Cai, the fifth-ranking member of the Politburo Standing... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3331319/communist-party-discipline-key-meeting-chinas-5-year-plan-goals-cai-qi?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3331319/communist-party-discipline-key-meeting-chinas-5-year-plan-goals-cai-qi?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Nov 2025 08:22:39 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei Beijing expelled a former senior official with an aerospace background and a military auditor from the top national legislature on Tuesday amid its deepening anti-corruption drive. The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress said on Tuesday that five officials had been removed from their NPC duties. The most senior of them is Xu Dazhe, former Communist Party secretary of Hunan province. The NPC did not say if he was under investigation for corruption but Xu, who left the party... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3330743/china-expels-former-aerospace-boss-and-military-auditor-top-legislature-and-others?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3330743/china-expels-former-aerospace-boss-and-military-auditor-top-legislature-and-others?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Oct 2025 07:06:15 +0000 Yuanyue Dang,Alcott Wei,William Zheng Yuanyue Dang,Alcott Wei,William Zheng China has promoted Zhang Shengmin, the military’s anti-graft chief, to vice-chair of the powerful Central Military Commission (CMC), which is headed by President Xi Jinping. And Zhang Fengzhong, a senior general with the People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force, has been placed under investigation for corruption, according to a communique of the fourth plenary session of the Communist Party’s Central Committee, which concluded on Thursday. Zhang Fengzhong was an alternate member of the Central... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3330061/china-makes-anti-graft-chief-zhang-shengmin-vice-chair-central-military-commission?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3330061/china-makes-anti-graft-chief-zhang-shengmin-vice-chair-central-military-commission?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Oct 2025 09:05:15 +0000