China arrests record number of corrupt officials in 2024

A total of 56 senior officials, from the vice-ministerial level and above, are under investigation, the South China Morning Post reported on December 22. This is a 25 percent increase from last year, when the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) investigated 45 senior officials.

According to an analysis by the South China Morning Post, corruption cases involving high-level party organs and ministries have doubled, while there has also been an increase in cases in the aviation and defense industries.

However, there were fewer corruption cases involving finance in 2024 than the previous year. Finance is the focus of China's anti-corruption campaign in 2023.

“The anti-corruption net has become wider, while the mesh size has become smaller. Therefore, more people are caught and fewer people can escape,” said Deng Yuwen, former deputy editor-in-chief of the Study Times of the Central Party School of China.

All of the officials arrested this year are from the central government, meaning they are at the vice-ministerial level or above. Although some of them hold slightly lower positions, they also hold key positions in important sectors.

Of the 56 people arrested, 12 held senior positions in the central organs of the Communist Party of China and the state, double the number from last year. This reflects that the anti-corruption campaign has shifted its focus to the upper echelons of the Party and ministries.

Some of the notable names under investigation include former Justice Minister Tang Yijun, former Agriculture Minister Tang Renjian and former head of China's General Administration of Sports Gou Zhongwen.

In addition, cases involving state-owned enterprises also increased in 2024, with six business leaders being investigated, double the number from the previous year. Among them was former chairman of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) Tan Ruisong.

The massive anti-corruption campaign in 2024 will also focus on the Chinese military. Most recently, in November, Miao Hua, director of the General Political Department of the CPC Central Committee, was suspended and placed under investigation for serious disciplinary violations.

In June, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) decided to expel two former defense ministers, Li Shangfu and Wei Fenghe, from the party.

The CPC said the two former ministers had violated party discipline and the law. Meanwhile, the Central Military Commission (CMC) announced that former defense ministers Li Shangfu and Wei Fenghe had seriously violated party work.

2024 also saw many “rising young stars” in Chinese politics being investigated, including Beijing Vice Mayor Gao Peng and Tibet Autonomous Region Vice Chairman Wang Yong.

As early as January this year, President Xi Jinping called for a good implementation of the long and arduous anti-corruption campaign. President Xi Jinping stressed that after ten years of persistent anti-corruption efforts, China's fight against corruption has achieved great victories, but the situation remains serious and complicated.

Therefore, according to him, it is necessary to fully understand the new developments in the fight against corruption as well as the causes and conditions for corruption to arise. He also called for greater efforts to win this long and difficult battle.