What ensures the success of CPC's anti-corruption drive?

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On day two of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the country's main anti-graft body, the CPC's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), reviewed the achievements of the Party’s anti-graft drive over the last five years.

In numbers, Deputy Secretary of CCDI Yang Xiaodu recounted the achievements since 2012: a total of 440 Party members in leadership positions investigated; 1.537 million Party members punished; 3,453 fugitives returned to China.

But CGTN's commentator and host of "Closer to China" Robert L. Kuhn still had a pressing question.

CGTN Photo‍

International analysts always point out that it is impossible for ruling parties to self-discipline without independent checks and balances, Kuhn stated.

"The Party has had anti-corruption (campaigns) for decades, yet the problem has continued. Why is now different, particularly since the 18th Party Congress?" he asked.

Yang replied that intra-Party discipline is not the whole picture, stressing that oversight by the public is crucial.

In his report addressing over 2,200 Party delegates at the opening session of the 19th CPC National Congress on Wednesday, Secretary General of CPC Central Committee Xi Jinping emphasized that more checks and oversight are in need.

Xi said power needs to be put in an institutional cage by creating supervisory commissions from top to the bottom covering the national, provincial, city and county levels.

The supervisory commissions will be working closely with the CCDI, the report said. A corruption reporting platform will be created where the two bodies can share information on corruption investigation and cases. These two bodies will make sure the supervision covers everyone who exercises public power.

Yang said such integration will improve the effectiveness of disciplinary inspection and help root out corruption.