I'm Robert Lawrence Kuhn and here's what I'm watching: The CPC's, the Party's, relentless anti-corruption campaign continuing unabated, exemplifying the CPC's commitment to self-governance, self-supervision, self-purification and self-revolution. Western critics assert that "corruption is the inevitable outcome in a one-party system where power is unchecked and the media is regulated." CPC General Secretary Xi Jinping aims to show that in the new era, the Party can cure itself. Critical has been the longest, most sustained anti-corruption campaign in China's history: punishing corruption at all levels, "tigers and flies," with zero-tolerance.

From the 18th CPC National Congress in November 2012, when Xi became senior leader, to April 2022, about nine and a half years, 4.7 million people were investigated by discipline inspection and supervision agencies across the country. Regarding workstyle discipline, 723,000 cases that violated the eight-point central regulations (which reduce bureaucracy and Party privilege) were investigated, with 644,000 people being sanctioned. And a total of 74,000 people voluntarily surrendered to the discipline inspection and supervision organs.

For China's anti-corruption campaign, I can see ten motivations or reasons.

1. To state the obvious, officials who are corrupt are brought to justice. To manage China's huge population and complex society, there must be respect for law.

2. By combatting corruption, the Party increases public trust, augmenting confidence in the Party's continuing leadership.

3. By combatting corruption, the Party functions more effectively, making decisions for the general good, not biased by private financial gain.

4. Corruption distorts markets, so that by reducing corruption, resources are allocated more efficiently.

5. Corrupt officials impede economic reform because change threatens their illicit benefits, which depend on the status quo. The removal of corrupt officials facilitates reform.

6. Corrupt officials thwart rule of law for personal interests and prosecuting them strengthens rule of law for national interests.

7. Some corrupt officials, in addition to enriching themselves, have non-standard political ambitions that could destabilize the system; removing these officials promotes national unity and political stability, which are essential for China.

8. Combatting corruption benefits Chinese society, elevating morality and restoring Chinese civilization as a paragon of ethics and integrity.

9. For China to become a world business center, China must have world-class business standards and ethics.

10. For China to become a global role model, China must exemplify morality and rectitude.

According to leadership, improving the Party and state supervision system must form a comprehensive, normal and long-term force — because power, no matter how big or how small, can be abused if it is not restricted and supervised.

I'm keeping watch. I'm Robert Lawrence Kuhn.

Script: Robert Lawrence Kuhn

Editors: Liang Zhiqiang, Yang Yutong

Designer: Qi Haiming

Producer: Wang Ying

Supervisors: Xiao Jian, Adam Zhu

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