Xi Jinping lays stress on anti-corruption among CCP officials

"Do not seek profiteering if you become a public official, and do not seek public office if you are rich."

As the Chinese Communist Party came up with measures to restrict profit-making activities by families of party official members and to remove those who violate the rule from all public posts, Chinese state media People's Daily delivered on Monday President Xi Jinping's strong policy against anti-corruption. Though emphasizing on anti-corruption struggle outside, some analyze that President Xi intends to solidify his grip over the party through the message ahead of his bid for third term in office.

According to the state media outlet, the General Office of the Chinese Communist Party, which oversees administrative affairs of the party, announced on Sunday the regulation rules on commercial business management and operations that are imposed on the party officials, their spouses and offspring and even on the offspring's spouses. Those subject to the rules are prohibited from investing in new businesses or taking a high-ranking office in any private or foreign-invested firms. They are also banned from working in businesses of private equity fund investment, real estate and legal services. Party officials are required to report regularly on the profit-making activities of their family members. The officials as well as their family members are removed from all posts if any of them are found to have violate the policy.

The Chinese Communist Party also plans to eval‎uate whether economic activities of the family members are acceptable when selecting new party officials. Some find President Xi's moves are advance groundwork to silence the political opposition in the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party scheduled in October.


Ki-Yong Kim kky@donga.com