The National Will

    Many factors come into play in the formation of a criminal underworld, and the primary factor is the corruption of existing powers. Corruption has not only jeopardized the rights and interests of the people, but also damaged the prestige of the ruling party, and eroded the power base of the regime. Therefore, in recent years the Chinese government has intensified its anti-corruption efforts and promulgated successive policies, laws and regulations in this regard. In February 2006 it started a national campaign to crack down on criminal elements nationwide.

    In July 2009, the Committee of Political and Legislative Affairs of the CPC Central Committee issued a circular "Opinions on the Work of Further Promoting the Struggle against the Underworld and Evil Forces." It stresses the imperatives of maintaining an offensive pressure on vice and corruption, and preventing its infiltration of the political landscape.

    In September the fourth plenary session of the CPC 17th Central Committee identified six critical tasks, and two of them addressed the building of the party and the rooting out and prevention of corruption. The meeting pointed out that corruption countermeasures are always a major political task for the Communist Party of China.

    To reinforce the government's message and intention, in 2009 the local governments in China unleashed a "transparency revolution." They began disclosure of financial budgets, officials' self-evaluation reports of their work, and information on the occupations of officials' family members, which used to be regarded as "secrets" or "sensitive information." The general public was invited to supervise transparency efforts. The CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the Ministry of Supervision have jointly inaugurated a website to receive people's accusations regarding violations by CPC members, Party organizations and targets of administrative supervision.

    The national will marshaled against the underworld and the depredations of vice has made impressive strides. Since February 2006, the public security departments across the country have handled 1,267 cases involving criminal gangs, eradicating 13,000 underworld mobs, arresting 89,000 suspects, and seizing 2,700 guns and pistols. The procuratorial organs instituted legal proceedings against 1,053 cases brought in relation to organized crime. Serious violent cases dropped 11.3 percent in 2008 compared with 2005.

    Some large gangs have been wiped out. In 2009, the police of Dongguan City, Guangdong Province eradicated the organization headed by Wang Lin. In November of the same year, the police in Heilongjiang Province dismantled a criminal gang led by Huang Li.

    A number of high-ranking officials above the provincial level got their just deserts for corrupt practices, including Zhu Zhigang, former director of the Commission for Budgeting of the National People's Congress; Zheng Shaodong, former assistant to the Minister of Public Security; Chen Shaoji, former chairman of the Guangdong Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference; and Wang Huayuan, former secretary of the CPC Zhejiang Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection.