Anti-graft watchdog continues corruption clampdown

Observers such as Jiang Laiyong, an anti-graft expert at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, have praised the CCDI's efforts to target election fraud ahead of the congress.

"The Party must urgently update its rules to meet the real challenges, as well as further improve the supervision system and standardize nomination procedures to prevent graft during elections," said Jiang, who is also a senior researcher at Tsinghua University's China Anti-Corruption Research Center.

He said managers who fail to monitor their subordinates' behavior should also face more-severe penalties.

In addition to guarding against election fraud, CCDI inspectors will pay close attention to preventing corruption at key times of the year, such as Spring Festival and the National Day holiday, as well as cracking down on officials who spend public funds on banquets, gifts, trips, entertainment or private clubs.

After tackling a number of high-ranking targets, the agency also plans to focus on fighting graft at the grassroots to gain greater public support.

"Apart from fighting high-ranking tigers, disciplinary officers should pay more attention to combating corrupt grassroots officials, so more people will experience and share the fruits of the anti-graft campaign," said Gao Bo, a political researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. "I'm confident about the success of the anti-graft campaign and its benefits for all citizens."

Overseas investigations

The CCDI is also continuing to hunt corrupt officials who have fled overseas to escape punishment.

The commission is leading the Central Anti-Corruption Coordination Group, which in 2014 launched Sky Net, a far-reaching operation to snare economic fugitives abroad and confiscate ill-gotten gains.

By the end of August, officials suspected of economic crimes had returned to China from more than 90 countries and regions, including the United States, Canada and New Zealand, and illicit assets worth 9.36 billion yuan had been recovered, the commission said.

In April 2015, Interpol issued red notices－international arrest warrants－for the 100 most-wanted Chinese fugitives. So far, 43 have returned from more than 16 countries and regions, including No 1 target Yang Xiuzhu, former deputy director of construction in Zhejiang province, who returned in November after spending 13 years in the US.

In July, Yang, 70, pleaded guilty to embezzling more than 19 million yuan of public funds and receiving bribes worth 7.35 million yuan. She is awaiting sentencing.

According to the CCDI, most of the 57 most-wanted fugitives are still at large in the US, Canada and New Zealand.

"These countries are our priority, so we must strengthen law-enforcement cooperation, such as intelligence sharing and case investigation, with our counterparts overseas," Cai Wei, deputy director of the commission's international cooperation department, said.

"There is no safe haven. No matter where a suspect runs to, we will make every effort to arrest them and bring them to justice."

Contact the writer at zhangyan1@chinadaily.com.cn