China’s comprehensive anti-corruption campaign demonstrated unprecedented intensity throughout 2025, with authorities investigating 65 centrally administered officials—predominantly at ministerial rank or higher—according to data released by the country’s top disciplinary bodies. The sustained crackdown, which recorded nine major investigations launched in December alone, represents the Communist Party of China’s continued commitment to eliminating graft and misconduct at all levels of governance.
Among the prominent figures facing scrutiny were Jiang Chaoliang, Jin Xiangjun, Lan Tianli, Liu Hui, Yi Huiman, and Zhang Shiping, reflecting the campaign’s reach into the highest echelons of power. Concurrently, grassroots enforcement saw 536,000 lower-ranking officials disciplined between January and November, with 20,000 cases referred for criminal prosecution, demonstrating the operation’s comprehensive scope.
Internationally, China’s ‘Sky Net’ operation achieved remarkable success, repatriating 782 fugitives and recovering approximately $3.38 billion in illicit assets within just eleven months. Notable apprehensions included Zhou Jinghua, the final Asian-based fugitive on China’s ‘100 most-wanted’ list, who was extradited from Thailand in July. That same month witnessed the return of Liang Jinwen, one of the earliest top-tier corruption suspects, who surrendered after 28 years abroad and fully repatriated assets allegedly acquired through corruption in 1996.
The campaign’s institutional foundations were strengthened through the implementation of the revised Supervision Law in June, which expanded supervisory powers and addressed previous systemic limitations. Additionally, the CPC conducted a four-month educational initiative targeting its approximately 100 million members to reinforce compliance with the party’s conduct standards, while disciplinary authorities publicly identified violators of the eight-point rules to enhance transparency and accountability.