‘Tigers and flies’: Millions of officials later, why is Xi’s corruption purge still going?
‘Tigers and flies’: Millions of officials later, why is Xi’s corruption purge still going?
For a week, thousands of delegates gathered in Beijing’s expansive Great Hall of the People to witness a pivotal moment in China’s political timeline. The National People’s Congress, which closed on Thursday, serves as a yearly declaration of the nation’s direction and strategies. Yet, the meeting’s atmosphere was marked by the absence of several high-profile figures—some of whom had once been close allies to Xi Jinping. Around 100 delegates were missing from the opening, all caught in a series of swift dismissals that underscore a different narrative than the party’s image of steady leadership.
Xi’s sweeping anti-corruption campaign, initiated when he became general secretary of the Communist Party in 2012, has left millions of officials disciplined, removed, or imprisoned in the past 14 years. This effort has targeted both the elite and grassroots levels, symbolically referred to as “tigers and flies.” The campaign’s persistence, even now, raises questions about its underlying motives and effectiveness.
A Decade of Unrelenting Scrutiny
Corruption had become deeply rooted in the system, with officials often underpaid and the party governed by a small political elite wielding vast influence. As Professor Kerry Brown of King’s College London notes, “It’s not surprising there are people who will make mistakes or who are corrupt.” However, the scale of the issue warranted Xi’s aggressive approach. His predecessors had identified corruption as a threat to the party’s legitimacy, but Xi’s tenure has seen a dramatic escalation in enforcement.
“The surprise is not that people are taking inducements or backhanders, the surprise is that there’s people that don’t do that… So I think some of these people have been removed because of corruption, pure and simple,” said Brown.
Notable examples include the downfall of Bo Xilai, a rising star in the party, during a scandal involving embezzlement and murder in 2012-2013. High-ranking figures, such as former head of China’s security apparatus, were also arrested, and Hu Jintao’s top aide faced a life sentence for graft. These actions highlight the campaign’s reach, spanning from government ministers to village chiefs.
Political Purges and Systemic Challenges
Despite the official narrative that new cases emerge due to “the more you dig, the deeper you get,” researchers suggest the campaign is more than a mere enforcement tool. Neil Thomas of the Asia Society Policy Institute argues that it serves dual purposes: combating corruption and removing political rivals. “Xi’s anti-corruption campaign has always been about both corruption and politics,” Thomas explained. “It is an effort to make the party a more effective governing machine and a cudgel to remove political enemies.”
Brown describes the process as a “corporate clean-out,” emphasizing its role as a management strategy to maintain discipline within the party. Yet, systemic issues persist, with checks and balances lacking. “It’s very hard to deal with [corruption] when you don’t have the checks and balances and accountability that you would need to be able to manage the party properly,” he added. “It has no real external source to keep it in order.”
Even after initial purges in the military, “ranks and promotions were routinely up for sale, and bribery was rampant,” according to the Mercator Institute for China Studies (Merics). The campaign continues to reshape China’s political landscape, driven by Xi’s consolidation of power and the nation’s rise as a global economic force. Investments in advanced chips, artificial intelligence, and renewable energy reflect this broader vision of governance and influence.
