The ongoing anti-corruption campaign within the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) continues in the lead-up to the third plenary session of its Central Committee. Current Central Commission for Discipline Inspection Secretary, Li Xi, and former secretary Zhao Leji have shown different intensities in their efforts to crack down on corrupt officials. Analysts believe that the relationship between CCP leader Xi Jinping and Li Xi and Zhao Leji differs, with Xi requiring his close ally Li Xi to exert high pressure after the 20th Party Congress. As a result, enemies seem to be all around in the political arena.
Since the beginning of this year, 27 high-ranking officials at the ministerial and above level have been investigated and removed from their positions, significantly exceeding the 17 officials during the same period last year. Among the fallen officials at the ministerial level are Li Yuefeng, Tang Yijun, Tang Renjian, Gou Zhongwen, and Wu Yingjie. Since assuming office, Secretary Li Xi has disciplined 86 central government officials (at ministerial level or above), almost doubling the number compared to his predecessor Zhao Leji, who disciplined only 44 officials during the same period.
Chinese affairs expert Wang He analyzed for Epoch Times on June 20th, stating that the differing approaches of Li Xi and Zhao Leji in the anti-corruption campaign are related to their respective relationships with Xi Jinping.
“Wang He said, ‘Zhao Leji was merely an ally of Xi Jinping, while Li Xi is Xi’s confidante, which makes a distinction. Zhao Leji had to take down many of his old subordinates that he had promoted in Shaanxi. In the Qinling Villa incident, in which Xi Jinping gave six instructions, Zhao Leji had to bear significant responsibility. He himself is not clean and has been implicated in a billion-dollar mineral case, reportedly receiving warnings from Xi.'”
According to Wang He, Zhao Leji belongs to the faction of moderates in the political arena and has no clear factional affiliation. Without high pressure directives from Xi, he refrains from taking actions, thus creating a distance in his anti-corruption efforts compared to his predecessor Wang Qishan and Li Xi.
Wang He explained that Xi Jinping previously focused on eliminating factional rivals, but post the 20th Party Congress, the political landscape is brimming with enemies. Even the Xi family’s trusted core members, including figures like Chen Min’er, are not considered central figures in the Xi camp and have been marginalized. After the cautionary tale of the appointment of Fu Zhenghua, Xi is very cautious in his appointments, and he is unlikely to easily trust defectors from other factions. Many who are nominally part of the Xi camp may not be in practice.
“During Xi Jinping’s visit to Zhejiang, 41-year-old Chen Min’er, already a member of the Provincial Standing Committee and Minister of the Propaganda Department, had established his political influence as Zhang Dejiang was in office before Xi took over. However, once Xi arrived, he promoted Cai Qi and Li Qiang.”
Former Minister of Justice Tang Yijun, with ties to the Zhejiang faction, was initially seen as a member of the Xi camp. Wang He suggests that the concept of the Xi camp is vague, and individuals like Tang Yijun are not necessarily loyal to Xi as Jiang Zemin controlled the political landscape for two decades, and officials had to pay their dues at every level.
Former Tibet Secretary Wu Yingjie recently fell from grace after a long tenure in Tibet. He had connections with the current Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Hu Chunhua. Hu Chunhua was once considered the heir appointed by former leader Hu Jintao, but he was removed from the Politburo by Xi Jinping during the 2022 Party Congress.
Wang He believes that Xi Jinping is eliminating potential threats to his power without leaving any room for future complications. Speculations about Hu Chunhua being designated as the successor prompted Xi to remove him to prevent any resurgence. To ensure long-term governance, Xi needs to deal with all potential political enemies, which may be one of the reasons for Wu Yingjie’s downfall.