More than a decade after China launched its sweeping crackdown on graft, the party is still trying to convince its own members that it is working.
An article in the Chinese Communist Party’s top theoretical journal has outlined five doubts about the country’s corruption campaign, even as senior officials continue to fall under investigation. It was published ahead of the party’s Fifth Plenum, which ended Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026.
What did the Qiushi article say?
The article was written by a professor at the military’s National Defense University who specializes in discipline inspection and political and legal studies. It was published in Qiushi, the party’s official theoretical journal. Qiushi regularly publishes speeches by Xi and articles that signal the party’s priorities.
The author identified five attitudes toward the corruption campaign that he described as mistaken. The full list was not detailed in initial reports. Party publications often run such pieces to respond to concerns circulating among officials and the public.
The article appeared ahead of the plenum, a meeting of the party’s Central Committee held Oct. 26 to Oct. 29 under the theme of enforcing strict party discipline. Plenums typically end with a statement summarizing decisions, which outside observers study for signs of policy shifts.
How many senior officials are under investigation?
Disciplinary authorities opened investigations into 73 officials at the provincial or ministerial level or above in the first nine months of 2026, according to a count by The Epoch Times.
That matches the total for all of 2024. In 2025, authorities investigated 115 officials at that level, including 90 during the first nine months of the year. Provincial and ministerial officials are among the most senior in China’s government, just below the top national leadership.
The numbers suggest that while the pace has slowed slightly from last year, investigations of senior officials remain frequent under the corruption campaign.
Why has the corruption campaign lasted so long?
President Xi Jinping launched the corruption campaign after taking power in 2012, and it has become a defining feature of his rule. Investigations have reached officials across the government, the party and the armed forces.
The military has been hit especially hard. Since 2023, more than a dozen senior generals have been removed, including two defense ministers and leaders of the Rocket Force, which oversees China’s missiles. The removals have raised questions abroad about the readiness of China’s armed forces.
Xi has said that inspections and audits found officials failing to carry out directives from top leaders, and the party has also targeted officials who avoid making decisions out of fear.
What do critics say about the corruption campaign?
Critics argue the campaign has also helped Xi consolidate power by removing officials seen as rivals. Supporters say it has punished wrongdoing and strengthened discipline.
Some analysts say corruption persists because the system lacks independent courts and a free press to check officials’ power. Officials accused of corruption are investigated by the party’s own discipline agency before any court proceedings.
An analyst at a political risk firm said the message from the plenum was that the corruption campaign is not winding down.
What comes next?
The plenum comes about a year before the party’s 21st National Congress in 2027, when Xi is widely expected to secure a fourth term of five years as party leader.
Analysts expect tighter scrutiny of public spending and major projects, along with tougher consequences for officials who fail to deliver on Xi’s priorities. New appointments to top party bodies are also possible at the congress.
For now, the corruption campaign appears set to remain a central tool of Xi’s leadership.
