Xi Jinping Consolidates Power as Sweeping Anti-Corruption Purge Targets China’s Elite
China's anti-corruption campaign reaches new heights as high-ranking officials vanish, cementing Xi Jinping's authority ahead of critical party meetings.
POLICY WIRE — Beijing, China — The recent disappearance of Beijing’s deputy mayor, who was seen just days prior hosting Walmart CEO John Furner to encourage foreign investment, highlights the intensifying reach of China’s anti-corruption drive. This campaign has systematically removed a wide array of influential figures, including top judicial officials, intelligence chiefs, military generals, and even those previously tasked with enforcing internal party discipline.
While party officials across the nation speculate on who might be targeted next, the political position of leader Xi Jinping remains unchallenged. Unlike international counterparts facing electoral pressures or term limits, Xi’s control over the world’s second-largest economy appears more secure than ever as he prepares for a high-level, closed-door meeting of over 200 party elites in Beijing.
This upcoming gathering is expected to further solidify Xi’s authority and his signature anti-graft agenda. Attendance at the event will reach a historic low, a direct consequence of the ongoing purges that have left few factions capable of opposing his leadership.
Since Xi, 73, assumed power over 14 years ago, millions of officials have been removed from their posts. Official data from the Central Commission of Discipline Inspection (CCDI) indicates that between 2012 and 2022, more than 500 ministerial-level officials were probed, convicted, and expelled from the party. In the last three years alone, over 410 officials have faced similar fates.
The scale of these investigations has reached previously untouchable institutions. The Central Military Commission, typically comprised of seven members, is currently reduced to just two, including Xi himself. Similarly, the 24-member Politburo is operating with only 21 members as the CCDI continues to issue near-daily updates regarding new probes and arrests.
The investigation into Huang Qifan, a former mayor of Chongqing known for his political longevity, has sent shockwaves through the party. Following his downfall, associates have moved to scrub mentions of him from social media, reflecting the high-stakes environment where being under investigation effectively ends a political career.
Authorities have also demonstrated a willingness to utilize capital punishment to maintain party discipline. In May, former defense ministers Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu received suspended death sentences with a two-year reprieve following bribery convictions. As Deng Yuwen, a former deputy editor of the Study Times, noted, the current environment ensures that younger officials remain focused on loyalty to Xi, who now has the time to cultivate his own trusted circle of successors.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
