China’s ruling Communist Party is doubling down on rooting out corruption as it gears up for the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030). The CCDI’s 20th Central Committee’s fifth plenary session in Beijing, wrapping up mid-week, passed a resolution to sharpen these efforts.
Attending was President Xi Jinping, in his capacities as CPC chief and military head, who urged reinforcements in party discipline and anti-graft measures, per Xinhua.
People’s Daily highlighted Tuesday that amid pursuits of prosperity and innovation, upholding the party’s purity is non-negotiable. ‘Corruption is a cancer to our Marxist party’s survival,’ Xi has long warned, fueling a transformative drive since 2012 that aligns the CPC with national and public good.
The multi-layered system tackles financial crimes alongside administrative lapses, resource squandering, bureaucratic delays, and dereliction of duty.
Action stats are staggering: 65 senior officials nabbed in 2025, a 12% jump from 2024’s 58, peaking over ten years. Progression from 18 (2020), 25 (2021), 32 (2022), 45 (2023) to 65 illustrates widening nets over governance, economy, and armed services.
The PLA faces intense scrutiny, with record ejections including He Weidong, former top military vice chair. This purge amid tech-driven military upgrades reveals acute worries about integrity undermining readiness.
The blitz exposes chronic graft and showcases Beijing’s iron will to grip reins tighter against growth slumps, reform snags, and global frictions. High-profile falls span regions, central bodies, SOEs, elite schools, and banking, with Yi Huiman’s ouster jolting investor sentiment.
This momentum into the new plan era promises a fortified party apparatus, essential for China’s ambitions in a turbulent world.