BEIJING - China’s President Xi Jinping pledged to deepen the country’s anti-corruption crackdown, particularly in capital-intensive sectors, and will increase punishment for people who offer bribes.

He urged tighter monitoring to prevent the spread of graft to new sectors, and for officials to handle what he called ‘hidden corruption’ quickly, according to a report from state broadcaster CCTV on a meeting of the Communist Party’s Central Commission for Discipline Inspection on Jan 8.

He highlighted finance, energy, infrastructure, pharmaceutical and state-owned firms as main focuses.

Mr Xi has repeatedly vowed zero tolerance on corruption since he took office in 2012, with his signature campaign sweeping through industries including health and finance. 

2023 saw a record number of senior cadres ensnared, while the investigation of high-profile bankers, including former Bank of China Ltd chairman Liu Liange and former China Development Bank Vice-President Zhou Qingyu sent ripples through the financial sector.

China will more severely punish people found guilty of offering bribes, according to Mr Xi.

While Mr Xi said there’d been an overwhelming victory in the decade-long anti-corruption push, he also said the situation remains complex. BLOOMBERG