Taking corruption by the horns

Xi's clean governance campaign has yielded positive results but institutional measures are needed so officials put people first

One of the most widely discussed issues since Xi Jinping assumed China's leadership has been his call for a war on corruption. On becoming president, Xi launched a one-year "mass line" in June with special emphasis on the war against corruption, which included measures to curb red tape and improve the Party's work style to bring officials closer to the people. So how has the anti-corruption drive fared in the past year?

Anti-corruption drives are not new to China, but Xi's crusade seems different from earlier ones, and there are several reasons for this. First, as some scholars have argued, as the son of Xi Zhongxun, one of the first generation revolutionaries, Xi has a lot more at stake in terms of enhancing and reaffirming the leadership of the Party. And having envisioned the China Dream, he needs to convey to the people that he is serious about tackling the scourge of corruption.