Xi’s pledge to ‘uproot sick trees’ aired weeks ahead of major party conclave

President Xi Jinping unveiled a pledge to "uproot sick trees" during a major anti-corruption speech, as detailed in a recent article from the party's flagship magazine, Qiushi. The warning appeared in the magazine on Thursday, just weeks before a significant party conclave scheduled for October 26-29 in Beijing. Xi's speech, delivered at the fifth plenary session of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), echoed with stern directives.

"The fight against corruption is a major battle that we cannot afford to lose and must never lose. We cannot stop for a moment or retreat even half a step," Xi declared. The metaphor of "sick trees" draws from ancient Chinese poetry, symbolizing the necessity of removing decayed elements to make way for new growth. "Corruption is the greatest risk, threat and challenge facing our party.

It is a roadblock and stumbling block to the development of the party and the country," he emphasized. Xi also highlighted the pervasive nature of corruption within the party, noting that the anti-corruption campaign continues to confront daunting challenges. The article, published less than two weeks prior to the plenary session, covered fresh insights from Xi's speech, which included calls for stricter scrutiny of officials before power transitions and more targeted reforms within the party's internal regulatory framework.

The CCDI had recently initiated a corruption probe into former Chongqing mayor Huang Qifan, eight years after his retirement.