Recently, insiders within the system have revealed that the Chinese Communist Party’s political and legal system is conducting large-scale retrospective investigations into old cases, focusing on checking power-money transactions and lenient judgments. Pressure is being exerted on the families of individuals in China to urge those who have moved abroad involved in cases to return to the country for investigation. Insiders believe that this operation combines political rectification with financial considerations to clean up the chain of interests internally and conduct cross-border asset recovery externally to increase fiscal revenue.
According to an insider, Mr. Feng (alias) from within the system, the current judicial system is investigating whether the handling personnel in past cases were involved in private relationships, accepting bribes: “One key aspect of the judicial system’s retrospective investigation is to examine private relationships. In cases where money was taken, and what should have resulted in a severe sentence ended up receiving a light one. If there were benefits involved or bribery, they might be revisited now.”
He disclosed that some cases that have been closed for years may be reopened for investigation, targeting not only the officers involved in handling the cases at the time but also possibly investigating those directly involved, individuals with vested interests, and key figures who participated in the operation of the cases.
Mr. Shi, a Liaoning resident living in Japan, told reporters that in the past two months, the local public security officers visited his family home three times, asking his father to persuade him to return to China for a “discussion” without specifying the reasons, leaving him feeling uneasy. He believes that he is not involved in any civil or criminal cases in China: “After asking around, I found out that my name is in the police computer system without any clear explanation. The police told my father to have your son come back for a talk, but did not provide a summons. How could I dare to return? What if I can’t leave afterward.”
Retired from the Shanxi Procuratorate, Mr. Wang stated that Mr. Shi’s situation may involve economic offenses: “Perhaps his friend got into trouble, implicating him, while he himself doesn’t know the reason. His situation may fall under the category of ‘involved individuals who have moved abroad, and the investigation does not stop in such cases.’ At this point, the police may seek out relatives of key individuals to promptly call for their return, stating the need to assist in the investigation.”
Mr. Wang told reporters, “When relevant units investigate old cases and find newly discovered issues involving the persons of interest or key individuals in the cases, the new regulations within the CCP require a thorough investigation and a retrial of the case. This move could reveal the recipients of bribes in the cases, such as reducing charges or seeking lighter sentencing, and some judicial chains of interests formed years ago may be re-exposed.”
Throughout this year, the CCP’s crackdown on officials in the government, military, and political and legal systems continues. The discipline inspection and supervisory systems have been continuously strengthening the retrospective and long-term accountability mechanisms. Public records show that in just around two months from early April to early June, at least 15 officials at the department level in the political and legal and public security systems have been successively investigated by authorities, including officials from the Justice Department, Prison Administration Bureau, Political and Legal Affairs Committee, and public security personnel.
Lawyer Mr. Zhou from Guangxi stated that the CCP’s investigation of officials includes first “purifying the party and rectifying it,” followed by confiscating the proceeds from officials’ briberies. Some of those who have moved abroad are accomplices, while others are witnesses. This round of investigations involves the network of relationships, exchange of interests, and power-money transactions formed internally within the judicial system in the past. “For some personnel who have left judicial positions, as long as the cases from those years are re-examined, they may still be subject to investigation.”
Another insider who requested anonymity within the system mentioned that the CCP’s external investigations, in addition to political and security purposes, also encompass asset recovery and fund repatriation, aiming to address fiscal issues. Internally, the rectification is aimed at consolidating power, eliminating dissidents, and paving the way for the personnel arrangement at the 21st Party Congress.