China Investigates Record 63 "Tigers" in 2025, Vows to Intensify Anti-Graft Campaign

After a record 63 high-ranking officials were ensnared in 2025, China's anti-corruption dragnet isn't loosening. Instead, the ruling Communist Party has vowed to tighten its grip, signaling the campaign is as much about ensuring political loyalty as it is about tackling graft.

A Record Purge, An Unyielding Fight

According to the official Xinhua news agency, China's top decision-making body, the Politburo, agreed during a meeting on Thursday to "resolutely push forward the fight against corruption, not stopping for a moment, not yielding an inch." The report stated that officials agreed to deepen a comprehensive approach to address both the symptoms and root causes of corruption. This commitment follows a year that saw a record 63 high-ranking officials—known as "tigers"—placed under investigation for graft.

An 'Economic Guarantee' and 'Political Supervision'

The Politburo called for the party's discipline inspection bodies to provide a strong "guarantee" for China's economic and social development in the five-year plan running to 2030. It emphasized that deepening "political supervision" to maintain officials' loyalty to the leadership would remain a priority. The move aims to establish a "correct view of performance" among cadres and ensure the leadership's key decisions are effectively implemented over the next five years.