Li Li: Deeply Grasping the Scientific Connotation and Practical Requirements of the Anti-Corruption Path with Chinese Characteristics
General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized in his important speech at the Fifth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection: “Since the 18th National Congress, our Party has successfully blazed a path of anti-corruption with Chinese characteristics under the centralized and unified leadership of the Party Central Committee, treating both symptoms and root causes, and integrally advancing the goals of ensuring that officials do not dare, cannot, and do not want to be corrupt. We must resolutely continue down this path.” This is not only a profound summation of the experience of the anti-corruption struggle in the New Era but also a theoretical sublimation of our understanding of the laws governing the anti-corruption struggle. Deeply grasping the scientific connotation and practical requirements of the path of anti-corruption with Chinese characteristics is of great theoretical and practical significance for winning the tough and protracted battle against corruption.
Upholding and Strengthening the Centralized and Unified Leadership of the Party Central Committee is the Fundamental Premise and Political Advantage of the Path of Anti-Corruption with Chinese Characteristics
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “We must always uphold the overall leadership of the Party and the centralized and unified leadership of the Party Central Committee, unswervingly and comprehensively and strictly govern the Party, deeply promote the improvement of Party conduct, build clean government, and carry out the anti-corruption struggle, so as to forever preserve the Party’s advanced nature and purity.” Since the 18th National Congress, the fundamental reason our Party has been able to successfully blaze a path of anti-corruption with Chinese characteristics lies in upholding and strengthening the centralized and unified leadership of the Party Central Committee.
The centralized and unified leadership of the Party Central Committee congregates majestic power for achieving and comprehensively consolidating an overwhelming victory in the anti-corruption struggle. The Communist Party of China is the core of leadership for the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the most reliable pillar [1] for the people of all ethnic groups. The leadership of the Communist Party of China is the most defining feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the greatest advantage of the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics. The anti-corruption struggle is highly complex and arduous; only by upholding and strengthening the centralized and unified leadership of the Party Central Committee can we transcend local and short-term considerations to conduct global and systemic strategic deployment and integration of forces. The centralized and unified leadership of the Party Central Committee provides the fundamental guarantee and solid reliance for enhancing the Party’s political leadership, ideological guidance, mass organization, and social mobilization, pushing the anti-corruption struggle to effectively break through departmental barriers and the fences of entrenched interests, forming a powerful synergy.
Reviewing the course of the anti-corruption struggle in the New Era, the fundamental reason that a series of major reforms—such as the integrated deepening of the reform of the Party’s discipline inspection system, the reform of the national supervisory system, and the reform of discipline inspection and supervision institutions; the strengthening of political supervision; the deepening of political inspections [2]; and the promotion of the improvement of the system of norms for the Party’s self-revolution—could break the ice and move forward lies in the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core being at the helm [3], and in the scientific guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. It is precisely by upholding and strengthening the centralized and unified leadership of the Party Central Committee that our Party has continuously promoted the systematic integration, synergy, and efficiency of discipline inspection and supervision work, transforming the institutional advantages of socialism with Chinese characteristics into powerful potential energy and efficacy for anti-corruption.
Systemic governance drives the anti-corruption struggle toward greater depth. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “The systemic concept is a foundational thinking and working method.” Since the 18th National Congress, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has adhered to the systemic concept, strengthened top-level design and overall planning, taken intra-Party supervision as the leading force, promoted the connection and coordination of various types of supervision, and improved a supervisory system under the Party’s unified leadership that features full coverage, authority, and efficiency. Our Party insists on treating both symptoms and root causes while integrally advancing the “three non-corruptions” [4]. The anti-corruption struggle has been deeply integrated into the overall situation of economic and social development and the general layout of Party building, achieving coordination among anti-corruption, reform, development, and stability. This powerful strategic coordination and systematic integration capability is incomparable to any decentralized or fragmented supervision model, manifesting our Party’s unique advantages and extraordinary capacity in governing a large party and a large country.
Integrally Advancing the Goals of Ensuring Officials Do Not Dare, Cannot, and Do Not Want to be Corrupt is the Scientific Methodology for Treating Both Symptoms and Root Causes on the Path of Anti-Corruption with Chinese Characteristics
Marxist epistemology follows the law of a spiral ascent: “practice, knowledge, again practice, and again knowledge.” General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “Reform is forced by problems and deepened in the process of continuously solving them.” The exploration and formation of the path of anti-corruption with Chinese characteristics likewise reflects this law. “Treating both symptoms and root causes” [5] is a distinctive feature and important method of the anti-corruption struggle in the New Era. Among these, “treating symptoms” and “treating root causes” are promoted in coordination, support each other, exert force in the same direction, and complement one another, together constituting an important driving force for anti-corruption. Adhering to “treating both symptoms and root causes” stems from a scientific grasp of the laws of the anti-corruption struggle. Corruption is complex, concealed, and recurring; it is difficult to eradicate by relying solely on punishment, while relying solely on prevention easily leads to being too broad or too soft. Only by insisting on treating both symptoms and root causes—both excise the “malignant tumor” of corruption and clearing the soil where corruption breeds—can we integrally advance the goals of ensuring officials do not dare, cannot, and do not want to be corrupt.
Since the 18th National Congress, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has applied “treating both symptoms and root causes” throughout the entire process of improving Party conduct, building clean government, and anti-corruption work. It has used thunderous means to “treat symptoms,” forming a powerful deterrent, while also focusing on systemically “treating root causes” by establishing and improving institutional mechanisms and cultivating a culture of integrity to purify the political ecosystem and eradicate the soil of corruption. From “punishing corruption” to “institutional prevention of corruption” and then to “nourishing the heart with culture,” a complete set of long-term mechanisms for governing the Party with high self-purification functions has been constructed, providing a strong guarantee to ensure the Party never changes its nature, its conviction, or its character [6]. On the path of anti-corruption with Chinese characteristics, “integral advancement” is the key link and vital hub for transforming “treating both symptoms and root causes” from a strategic vision into practical efficacy. Integrally advancing the “three non-corruptions” is an interdependent and mutually reinforcing organic whole and systemic project. It is the winning code for achieving and comprehensively consolidating an overwhelming victory in the anti-corruption struggle, effectively promoting the “three non-corruptions” to coordinate in policy orientation, reinforce each other during implementation, and complement each other in work results.
Holding high the sword of punishment provides a powerful deterrent for creating an atmosphere where officials “do not dare to be corrupt.” The Communique of the Fifth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Communist Party of China proposed: “Deepen the rectification of corruption in key areas such as finance, state-owned enterprises, energy, education, academic societies and associations, development zones, and bidding and tendering; and seriously investigate and handle problems such as collusion between government and business, the use of power to provide protection for capital, and the penetration of capital into the political field.” Facing a grim and complex anti-corruption situation, without thunderous punitive measures, it would be difficult to curb the momentum of spreading corruption and win the trust of the people. Since the 18th National Congress, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, with the sense of mission to “rather offend thousands than fail the 1.4 billion,” has persisted in leaving no forbidden zones, ensuring full coverage, and showing zero tolerance. It has persisted in heavy curbing, maintaining high pressure, and ensuring long-term deterrence, seriously investigating and handling a large number of serious cases of discipline and law violations, creating a powerful deterrent effect. This continuous high-pressure state has provided powerful potential energy for winning the anti-corruption struggle.
Tightening the cage of institutions provides a vital grip for building a defense line where officials “cannot be corrupt.” While maintaining continuous deterrence, the anti-corruption struggle in the New Era focuses on eradicating the soil that breeds corruption through institutional building, leaving corruption with nowhere to hide. This continuously consolidates the achievements of “not daring to be corrupt” and lays the foundation for elevating the ideological realm of “not wanting to be corrupt.” In leading and promoting the anti-corruption struggle in the New Era, our Party has focused on confining power within the cage of institutions, continuously deepening the reform of the national supervisory system, and solving problems that existed in some departments and fields in the past, such as an overly narrow scope of supervision, scattered anti-corruption forces, and poor connection between discipline and law. At the same time, efforts have been made to improve institutional execution, promoting scientific authorization, the correct use of power, and effective checks on power, strengthening the state of “cannot be corrupt” by enhancing supervision and restraint, and improving institutional mechanisms that unify authorization, use, and restraint of power with clarity, transparency, and traceability, while working hard to solve the difficult problems of supervising “top leaders” [7] and peer-level supervision... Through these practical explorations, a system of institutions that is systemically complete, scientifically standardized, and effectively operational has been gradually constructed, using institutions to manage people, affairs, and power, leaving corrupt acts with no way to manifest and corrupt elements with no place to hide.
Fortifying the ideological embankment provides a fundamental strategy for strengthening the ideological self-awareness of “not wanting to be corrupt.” The lasting efficacy of institutions depends on people’s internal identification with them. In the process of exploring and forming the path of anti-corruption with Chinese characteristics, our Party has always placed fortifying the ideological defense line of “not wanting to be corrupt” in a prominent position, making it a process integrated into daily life and transformed into common practice. In this process, the Party has educated and guided the vast number of Party members and cadres, especially leading cadres, to keep their original aspiration and founding mission firmly in mind and to supplement their spiritual “calcium” [8] through continuous education in ideals and convictions, Party spirit, and Party discipline. By continuously strengthening the building of a culture of integrity, a social trend of advocating integrity and resisting corruption has been fostered. Emphasis has been placed on the building of family, family education, and family traditions, guiding Party leading cadres to cultivate themselves, restrain themselves, and maintain an honest household.
The Internal Logic and Comparative Advantages of the Path of Anti-Corruption with Chinese Characteristics
Looking at international anti-corruption practices, different countries have formed diverse governance paths based on their respective political traditions and realistic conditions. The reason the path of anti-corruption with Chinese characteristics works and is truly effective lies not only in its strategies and methods advancing with the times but also in its internal logic and comparative advantages. Standing on Chinese practice, the path of anti-corruption with Chinese characteristics scientifically integrates the Party’s strong leadership and the fundamental people-centered stance with the strategic needs of national development, achieving a deep unification of governance methods, value foundations, and systemic functions.
Comparative advantages of governance methods: transcending decentralized and passive governance. Internationally, how to effectively integrate strategic authority, execution capability, and lasting motivation for anti-corruption is a universal challenge. For example, some countries attempt to rely on the internal division of powers within the administrative system, causing anti-corruption to fall into the predicament of departmental barriers and “insider” protection; others rely excessively on external drivers such as public opinion and electoral pressure, which are often affected by political party governing cycles and interest groups, leading to fragmented anti-corruption efforts and short-term effects. In contrast, the path of anti-corruption with Chinese characteristics has demonstrated significant advantages in systemically solving corruption problems, which can be understood from the following aspects. First, it possesses strategic coordination power that transcends local interests. Our path can transcend specific administrative levels or local interest considerations, conducting top-level design and strategic consideration from the overall situation of the Party and state cause, ensuring that the direction of the anti-corruption struggle is clear, steps are consistent, and resources are concentrated, thereby avoiding the internal waste of governance caused by policies coming from multiple doors or mutual constraints. Second, it forms organizational mobilization power that breaks through hierarchical barriers. Relying on the principle of democratic centralism and a rigorous organizational system, the path can transform the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee into practical actions of organizations at all levels with high quality and efficiency, rapidly forming a powerful synergy for anti-corruption, thus effectively overcoming the problem of fragmented and scattered anti-corruption forces. Third, it possesses a powerful endogenous driving force. The path of anti-corruption with Chinese characteristics originates from the Party’s internal requirements for self-purification, self-perfection, self-innovation, and self-improvement. This determines that China’s anti-corruption is an active, normalized, and forward-looking strategic choice. It is precisely this endogenous driving force rooted in the construction of the Party’s advanced nature and purity that constitutes our Party’s strong political resolve and enduring historical patience in the anti-corruption struggle.
The people’s stance: transcending the value foundation and identification advantage of instrumental rationality. In international anti-corruption practice, some countries focus on evaluating data targets; although these technical efforts can bring process improvements, they often gradually deviate from the purpose of increasing public welfare during complex political maneuvering, resulting in insufficient participation, sense of gain, and identification among the people. In sharp contrast, the path of anti-corruption with Chinese characteristics takes “people-centeredness” as its unshakable value foundation and applies it throughout the entire process of policy formulation, execution, and evaluation, gaining the identification and support of the broad masses of the people. This advantage is specifically manifested in the following characteristics: First, it benefits the broad masses of the people. China’s anti-corruption always adheres to “resolutely preventing and correcting whatever the people oppose and hate,” focusing on rectifying unhealthy tendencies and corruption problems at the people's side, allowing the “dividends” of anti-corruption to benefit the broad masses of the people generally. Second, it constructs an orderly, multi-party supervisory synergy. The path incorporates mass supervision and public opinion supervision into the Party and state supervisory system, conducting orderly integration through institutionalized channels. This both effectively absorbs the powerful force of social supervision and ensures the correct direction of anti-corruption, thereby coalescing a powerful synergy. Third, it insists on taking public satisfaction as the criterion for testing. China takes “the people’s sense of gain, happiness, and security” as the fundamental criterion for measuring anti-corruption effectiveness. This testing criterion makes anti-corruption work face people’s livelihoods directly, respond to their needs, and accept their evaluation, fortifying the widest and most solid mass foundation for the anti-corruption struggle.
Embedded governance: transcending single boundaries for systemic synergy and strategic function. The path of anti-corruption with Chinese characteristics creatively embeds anti-corruption deeply within national governance, making anti-corruption transcend the functional boundaries of a single department to become an important strategic fulcrum for driving the perfection of the governance system, achieving efficient synergy between anti-corruption and national development tasks. This “embedded governance” allows China’s anti-corruption to effectively play the function of “promoting governance through punishment,” achieving the effect of investigating one case, warning a whole group, and governing a whole area. By investigating corruption cases and deepening the promotion of reform through cases, it drives key fields and vital departments to realize mutual promotion between anti-corruption and comprehensively deepening reform. This “embedded governance” adheres to the general requirements of unified Party leadership, full coverage, and authority and efficiency, achieving full coverage of supervision over all public officials exercising public power, profoundly reshaping the pattern of power supervision, and significantly improving the standardization and transparency of power operation, providing solid support for regulating power and building a country under the rule of law. This “embedded governance” can effectively play the ecological purification function of cultural immersion. Through continuous rectification of conduct and discipline and the building of a culture of integrity, it washes away unhealthy tendencies and pushes for the formation of a governance environment featuring upright cadres, honest government, clear politics, and a healthy society, laying a foundation for the sustained and healthy development of the economy and society, and providing a favorable environment for comprehensively advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization.