China’s notorious anti-corruption watchdog is now being watched by an administrative body, with some experts saying the country’s leader Xi Jinping no longer trusts the disciplinary agency.
China’s central authorities recently released several official documents regulating the standard procedures and leadership structure of China’s Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI). These new directives also redefined CCDI’s job description.
One such document, issued by the Work Committee of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) on July 18, requires disciplinary committees at all levels, including CCDI, to strictly follow new regulations.
At least on the surface, CCDI used to enjoy unrestrained power when fulfilling its tasks. The issuance of a regulatory document from the Work Committee indicates that CCDI’s authority is now being restrained by Cai Qi, the head of the Work Committee.
Mr. Cai, a trusted confidant of Mr. Xi, is the first secretary of the Secretariat of the CCP and the fifth-ranking member in the CCP’s Politburo Standing Committee.
In March, he was given an additional position—director of the party’s General Office—which increased his power to discipline all party, regime, and military officials except those in the Politburo Standing Committee.
U.S.-based China expert Li Yanming told The Epoch Times on July 22 that these newly issued documents have directly interfered with the work of CCDI and restrained its power.
“With comprehensive regulations on CCDI’s scope of work, leadership system, and other matters, this is a major anomaly in the political situation in [the CCP headquarters in] Zhongnanhai that actually restricts and takes away the anti-corruption prerogatives of the CCDI,” Li Yanming said.
‘Disloyal and Disobedient Members’
On July 14, CCDI published Li Xi’s speech on its website, which he delivered during a collective study session of CCDI’s Standing Committee.In his speech, Li Xi said that the disciplinary and inspection organs are “political organs” in nature and that “political awareness and solidness are the core requirement” for all CCDI members. He also stressed that CCDI must adhere to the centralized and unified leadership of the CCP Central Committee, to ensure that the Central Committee has a firm grip on the anti-corruption campaign.
Li Xi also demanded that disciplinary and supervisory officials be “absolutely loyal and politically reliable” to the CCP.
“This actually shows that there are people within the CCDI who are against Xi Jinping, and that Xi Jinping is not able to take full control of China’s anti-corruption campaign,” Li Yanming said.
Li Xi also called for the timely elimination of “hidden political dangers” as well as “disloyal and disobedient members.”
Li Yanming believes Li Xi’s words signal that there will be more high-ranking officials in the CCDI system who will fall from grace.
Current and retired high-ranking CCP officials are about to convene the Beidaihe meeting, or “summer summit,” this year. It is normally held between July and August each year, for the top echelons of the CCP to exchange their thoughts, discuss major policies, and finalize decisions—although details are always kept secret from the public.
Li Yanming said that in the run-up to this year’s Beidaihe conference, there were widespread rumors about senior generals in the Chinese rocket force, and that Qin Gang, the CCP’s foreign minister personally promoted by Mr. Xi, had been in hiding for an unusually long time, triggering speculation. It was at this sensitive moment that Mr. Xi’s close associate Mr. Cai directly interfered in the anti-corruption affairs of the CCDI, Li Yanming said.
“All these political anomalies indicate that the internal tide of Zhongnanhai is fierce, the internal struggle at the top level is extremely intense, and the political situation in China may undergo a major change at any time,” he said.
