The Chinese Communist Party’s anti-corruption campaign continues under the guise of combating corruption. Informed sources indicate that the CCP is now more determined to seize assets on a large scale from officials and divert them into the economic war with the United States.
According to the latest anti-corruption data released by the CCP’s Central Commission for Discipline Inspection on April 22, a total of 185,000 individuals were disciplined in the first three months of this year, a significant increase of over 50% compared to the same period last year when 121,000 individuals were penalized. Among them, 14 provincial and ministerial-level officials were disciplined, an increase of two compared to the same period last year. The authorities opened 220,000 cases from January to March, which is nearly a 50% increase from the 149,000 cases in the same period last year.
The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection declared that the focus of their crackdown is on sectors where power, funds, and resources are concentrated. Out of the 16 high-ranking officials who have fallen from grace this year, at least four are from sectors such as finance, state-owned enterprises, tobacco, and pharmaceuticals, which are considered lucrative areas.
Legal expert Yuan Hongbing, who has connections with insiders of the CCP system, recently revealed to the media that the anti-corruption campaign in China is expanding with a new focus not only on political aspects but also on economic considerations, particularly in light of the escalating trade war with the United States.
Yuan Hongbing stated that according to information from CCP insiders, there is a directive to intensify the scrutiny of corrupt officials between 2025 and 2026. The authorities not only aim to investigate politically but also intend to seize all assets obtained through corrupt practices from officials who are deemed politically disloyal.
Following CCP protocol, officials who fall from grace and are sentenced are subjected to confiscation of all their assets. For example, on October 10, 2024, the Intermediate People’s Court of Huanggang City in Hubei Province sentenced former Party committee member and deputy governor of the People’s Bank of China, Fan Yifei, to death with a two-year reprieve for bribery, confiscating all his personal assets. Fan was found to have amassed nearly 400 million yuan in illicit gains over 29 years.
Yuan Hongbing mentioned that under Xi Jinping’s leadership, millions of officials have been investigated, and the scale of asset seizure is staggering. The current clear objective is to use the confiscated assets of officials to navigate through the political crisis, including the ongoing economic war with the United States.
He noted that there is now a specific focus on investigating and seizing the assets of retired officials. The scope of scrutiny is not limited to a past period but extends to any retired official with potential leads on corruption, emphasizing the comprehensive nature of the campaign.
According to the official newspaper Beijing Youth Daily, as of April 16, the fifth round of inspections by the 20th Central Committee of the CCP had been completed. This round of inspections covered 15 provinces, regions, and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps for routine supervision. Additionally, Kunming City in Yunnan Province was subject to an intensified inspection, while five sub-provincial cities including Changchun, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Wuhan, and Chengdu underwent coordinated inspections.
Yuan Hongbing highlighted that various provinces and cities in China have been facing long-standing financial difficulties, and the CCP’s extensive investigations of local officials aim to seize their assets to allocate to the local governments, thereby easing fiscal challenges.
He further mentioned that the CCP is implementing a practice of using seized assets from different categories of officials for specific purposes. For instance, assets confiscated from officials within the military are primarily allocated to military expenses. Assets uncovered through investigations within the public security system are mainly used for maintaining stability funds and enhancing police welfare benefits.
Yuan Hongbing emphasized that the systematic confiscation of officials’ assets is causing panic within Beijing’s official circles. Many officials view the authorities’ actions as desperate measures that could potentially undermine the regime rather than safeguard it.