No immunity: how Xi’s anti-corruption fighters are zeroing in on fresh targets
The South China Morning Post has launched a major data project diving into President Xi Jinping’s signature anti-graft campaign. In the second part of an accompanying series, William Zheng examines how the campaign has targeted corrupt officials outside the Chinese capital and long after retirement. It used to be an easy choice for senior Chinese officials deciding between a local government…
A major data project from the South China Morning Post reveals that President Xi Jinping's anti-corruption campaign has been targeting corrupt officials both in regional governments and after their retirement. According to the tally, 60% of senior officials targeted in the campaign between 2013 and 2025 were in regional government roles.
The median age of these officials was 60, the usual retirement age for those at the deputy provincial rank. The campaign has been particularly focused on corrupt officials outside the Chinese capital, with a strong emphasis on regions rather than Beijing. Xi's anti-corruption drive has also affected officials after they have retired, with the focus shifting to them after 2020.
The data shows that regional government officials made up nearly 60% of those caught, while 20% were in the central government or party bodies in Beijing. This shift in focus indicates that Beijing is using inspection groups to keep local senior officials in check, as those at the regional level are more likely to be corrupt.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
