How is China's anti-graft drive prioritizing the people?

The top anti-corruption body of the Communist Party of China (CPC) is set to convene a three-day plenary session from Monday.

The session – the fifth plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) – is expected to review the discipline inspection and supervision work in 2025 and assign tasks for 2026.

In an article published in this year's first issue of the Qiushi Journal, a flagship magazine of the CPC Central Committee, Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed the importance of advancing full and rigorous Party self-governance with sustained efforts.

Xi, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, also said the requirements for the Party's self-reform must be implemented and a high-pressure stance against corruption maintained.

"To run the country well, we must first run the Party well. Only a strong Party can make the country strong," he wrote.

The eight-point decision has changed China

Hailed as a game changer in the Party's governance, the eight-point decision was adopted by the Party leadership in December 2012 to address chronic bureaucratic issues, including official privileges and extravagant banquets.

Spelled out in just over 600 words, it established rules for Party leaders regarding research tours, meetings, documentation and other official duties. It later expanded into an initiative for all Party members to improve their conduct.

In 2025, the CPC conducted a Party-wide education campaign to implement the eight-point decision from mid-March to late July, initiated immediately after the annual Two Sessions of the top legislature and political advisory body.

From January to November 2025, China handled 251,516 cases of eight-point decision violations. This resulted in 326,834 individuals being punished, of whom 225,347 received Party disciplinary or administrative penalties, according to the CCDI and the National Commission of Supervision (NCS).

Notably, by category, 105,008 cases – or more than 40 percent of the total – involved officials failing to fulfill their duties. This included negligence, inaction, mismanagement, and false reporting in areas affecting economic development, social progress, and environmental protection.

Conceived as a direct response to public concerns, the eight-point decision acts as a strategic entry point – a "small incision" that has catalyzed a major overhaul in the vigorous and comprehensive governance of the Party.

This approach enjoys widespread public backing. The most recent data from the National Bureau of Statistics (2024) shows that 94.9 percent of respondents expressed approval of its tangible impact.

Recognized as one of the "Top Ten Anti-Corruption Keywords of 2025" by the CCDI-NCS website, the eight-point decision has become a defining feature of the Party's governance in the new era. "The eight-point decision has profoundly changed China and will continue to do so."

Fighting corruption for the people

Throughout 2025, China's anti-graft campaign maintained its relentless momentum, targeting officials at every level – from low-level "flies" to high-ranking "tigers" – while advancing efforts to repatriate fugitives and recover misappropriated funds in "fox hunting" operations.

Following a people-centered approach, anti-corruption watchdogs have spent the past year tackling misconduct occurring directly at the public's doorstep.

From school cafeterias and rural fund management to healthcare insurance and elderly care, authorities have targeted deep-seated issues to safeguard the well-being of the people in their daily lives.

"Fighting corruption for the people" emerged as another defining theme in 2025, earning its place among the top ten keywords selected by the CCDI-NCS website.

According to the website, the number of centrally managed officials placed under investigation reached 65 in 2025.

Guided by a profound sense of mission in the fight against corruption, Xi has declared that the Party shall never fail the 1.4 billion, even if it means offending a few thousand.

In his 2026 New Year message, Xi said the CPC exercised strict self-governance through credible measures and promoted the Party's self-revolution to fight corruption and advance healthy governance.

"We should continue to give a good answer to the question on how to maintain long-term governance put forth in a cave dwelling in Yan'an and prove ourselves worthy of the people's expectation in the new era," he said.