Tackle the root causes of corruption

The 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) held its fifth plenary session from Monday to Thursday in Beijing, adopting the Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Certain Major Issues concerning Persevering with Full and Rigorous Party Self-Governance.

Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2012, China's anti-corruption efforts have made remarkable progress.

However, the challenges facing the anti-corruption campaign remain grave and complex.

Existing corruption has not yet been fully eradicated, while new cases continue to emerge.

While intensifying investigations and prosecutions is important, it is even more important to identify and address institutional weaknesses revealed by individual cases, thereby reducing opportunities for corruption and effectively preventing its spread.

Focusing narrowly on individual cases and treating them in isolation will not address corruption at its root.

Besides following necessary procedures and examining specific violations of Party discipline and State laws, it is vital to delve deeper into the underlying causes of corruption.

Corruption is often linked to the exercise of power. The recurrence of corruption cases points to risks in the exercise of power, institutional weaknesses and oversight gaps.

By looking beyond individual cases and conducting a comprehensive review of the exercise of power, policy implementation and work procedures, we can identify institutional bottlenecks and offer targeted, practical recommendations to strengthen anti-corruption governance. This is essential for tackling corruption at its source.

This is particularly important when similar cases recur in the same regions, industries or sectors. In such instances, it is necessary to identify loopholes in the exercise of power and weaknesses in institutional safeguards so that timely adjustments can prevent similar incidents in the future.

Addressing both symptoms and root causes is essential to eradicating the conditions that breed corruption.

Investigations and prosecutions not only deter and punish those involved in corrupt practices but also serve as warnings to potential offenders, prompting officials to stop misconduct before it escalates.

Only by tackling the root causes of corruption can this menace be effectively curbed, ensuring that the CPC maintains its essential character, political integrity and fundamental purpose.

For example, since early 2026, the discipline inspection and supervision commission of Hefeng county in Hubei province has discovered recurring problems in the management of rural collective funds, assets and resources.

The authorities subsequently introduced county-level measures governing the entire process of small-scale construction projects undertaken by rural collectives and revised the county's financial management rules.

These steps have helped address institutional weaknesses and remove conditions that foster corruption.

Investigating cases is not an end in itself. The ultimate goal of the anti-corruption campaign is to improve governance. The fight against corruption depends on investigating individual cases, but it doesn't stop there. The key is to integrate case investigations with post-investigation rectification and governance, linking problem identification, institutional improvement and tangible results.

Lessons drawn from individual cases should, where appropriate, be translated into governance practices that can be applied more broadly.

Hence, political oversight, efforts to improve conduct and strict enforcement of Party discipline must play a stronger role in preventing corruption.

Party organizations at all levels must fulfill their responsibilities for full and rigorous Party self-governance, ensuring that the fear of punishment deters officials from engaging in corrupt practices.

Anti-corruption efforts must be closely integrated with the development of laws, regulations and institutional rules.

By tightening institutional constraints and strengthening the systems governing the exercise of power, officials can be prevented from abusing their positions for personal gain.

Also, ideological development and integrity education must be strengthened, fostering a culture of integrity that shapes officials' values and behavior.

The goal is to cultivate an internal commitment to ethical conduct so that officials refrain from corruption not only out of fear of punishment or constraints of rules but also a genuine desire to maintain integrity.

The defining feature of China's anti-corruption efforts is an integrated approach that ensures officials do not have the audacity, opportunity or desire to engage in corruption.

The three elements — a deterrence mechanism that discourages corruption, a preventive mechanism that makes it impossible, and a safeguard mechanism that fosters unwillingness — must work in coordination and reinforce one another.

Together, they should cover officials throughout their careers, from joining the Party and entering public service to leaving office and retiring, creating a concerted force against corruption.

Building robust institutional safeguards against corruption can fundamentally narrow the scope for rent-seeking, eliminate backroom dealings and curb corrupt practices in a systematic manner. A strong and disciplined organization must first ensure that its own members meet the highest standards.

To implement the CPC Central Committee's major decisions and arrangements for sustained and rigorous self-governance, the fight against corruption must be pursued with greater resolve and a clearer understanding of the challenges ahead.

This requires tackling corruption at its source.

Investigations and prosecutions should identify institutional weaknesses and greater effort should be devoted to improving the systems that govern the exercise of power.

Institutional rules must be enforced more rigorously, and preventive safeguards must be established early.

The author is an associate professor of politics and law at the Party School of the CPC Central Committee.

The views don't necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

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