Advertisement

‘President Xi Jinping seeks his place in history – among the party greats’

President wants anti-graft drive to cement legacy and revive the Communist Party, princelings say

Reading Time:4 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
Newspapers across the world have been gripped by the corruption investigation into former security chief Zhou Yongkang. Photo: Nora Tam

A strong desire to leave a legacy comparable to that of Deng Xiaoping and a sense of crisis over the survival of the Communist Party are driving President Xi Jinping's relentless fight against corruption, say people connected to the party's inner circle.

Advertisement

The president will use the crusade against corruption to sweep away resistance to his ambitious reform agenda, as entrenched interest groups have become too powerful and are reluctant to change, they say.

Xi, who greatly admires Deng, wanted to become a leader in a similar vein, who could lead China into a new era of reform and growth, said sources including senior officials and "princelings" - the children of former high-ranking leaders.

They said Xi identified himself strongly as a member of the princeling group and saw it as his mandate and mission to revive the party, whose ruling bases have been eroded by rampant corruption and bureaucracy.

Watch: China's Xi cementing power with probe into Zhou: analyst

Advertisement

Advertisement