China anti-corruption campaign hits record high in 2025

China’s anti-corruption campaign reached a new peak in 2025, with 65 high-ranking officials investigated. This figure is more than triple the 19 cases recorded in 2013, the first year of the campaign initiated by President Xi Jinping.

An analysis by the South China Morning Post reveals that between 2013 and 2025, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) investigated approximately 457 officials at the vice-minister level or higher. These high-level targets, referred to as ‘tigers,’ represent a significant focus of the crackdown compared to lower-level ‘flies.’

Data shows that 59% of the investigated officials worked in local governments, while 20% were part of central government or Communist Party bodies in Beijing. The campaign has also impacted the disciplinary bodies themselves, with 16 officials linked to oversight agencies being investigated. Geographically, the highest number of investigations occurred in Jiangxi, Liaoning, and the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, whereas wealthier eastern coastal provinces saw fewer cases, potentially due to higher administrative transparency and market-oriented cultures.