FILE PHOTO: Secondary school students gather in front of a screen displaying an image of Chinese President Xi Jinping, at the Memorial of the First National Congress of the Communist Party of China in Shanghai, China March 10, 2023. REUTERS/Aly Song/File PhotoThese announcements come just a week after Mr Xi vowed to crack down on corruption in the military and told top People's Liberation Army brass to eradicate conditions that breed corruption.
More recently, on Jun 21, news broke that China’s deputy propaganda chief, Zhang Jianchun, has been placed under investigation for suspected corruption. The more prosperous the local economy, the more leaders could collect massive benefits. This motivated some officials to strike lucrative deals with entrepreneurs, spurring corruption alongside development.
By targeting individuals no longer within China’s jurisdiction, Sky Net avoids prosecuting powerful figures still within the system. This allows the Communist Party to appear tough on corruption without confronting vested interests.China's corruption problem is closely tied to the state's role in the economy, which gives officials substantial influence over key resources such as land, loans and licenses.
To succeed in the long run, China’s anti-corruption efforts must upend the incentive structure that makes corruption tempting to local officials.