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China's war against corruption is far from over as the leadership believes "a landslide victory" has yet to be won, despite the unprecedented results already achieved.
With its zero-tolerance stance toward corruption, the anti-graft drive brought down more than 40 officials at the ministerial level and above in 2014, including four state leaders. The effects have been unparalleled in the past 30-plus years since the country began its reform and opening-up drive.
While people gave a thumbs-up to the unexpected results of the campaign, which was once thought to be just "a gust of wind," President Xi Jinping warned Tuesday that "a landslide victory" has not yet been won, and challenges remain.
Some people mistakenly think the anti-graft fight will come to an end, and some believe a deepened crackdown could shake the foundation of over 60 years of Communist Party of China (CPC) rule.
These people fail to realize that the anti-graft drive under way since the leadership took the helm in late 2012 has brought corruption down, but not out.
Misconduct may have abated, but it has not vanished. Though anti-corruption mechanisms have been developed, they are not perfect. Reshaping China's political ecology remains an onerous task.
There are no quick or easy fixes to corruption, which has been long in the making.
To root out the scourge that threatens the Party's very survival, more must be done to cure the ills of corruption.
The Chinese leadership has sent strong signals as to the direction the fight will take.
In his New Year speech aired live by state broadcasters, Xi vowed the corruption drive will not let up, saying the country will "wave high the sword against corruption" and "fasten the cage of regulations."
The President said he expects to see stricter CPC rules and better working practices in 2015.
In a new year message published on its website, the CPC's top discipline agency, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), said, "Our first sentence for 2015 is that building clean governance and combating graft will continue."
To clear channels for public participation, the CCDI on Jan. 1 launched a mobile app that will release up-to-date information on corruption investigations. The commission later released the contact details and websites of the CCDI and its provincial-level agencies for public tip-offs.
Addressing a CCDI plenary session Tuesday, Xi stressed that Party discipline system reform must continue alongside enhanced institutional innovation and supervision, while demanding discipline and rules take a more prominent position.
While the campaign can only alleviate symptoms, there is reason to be optimistic that continuing the anti-graft fight with improved institutions can be a cure for the disease of corruption.
