Chinese president uses a commentary in the People\u2019s Daily to attack \u2018handful of senior officials pursuing selfish interests\u2019<\/p>\n
Agence France-Presse
Thursday 3 November 2016 01.21 EDT<\/p>\n
Chinese president Xi Jinping<\/a> has attacked \u201cconspiracies\u201d in the ruling party, saying corruption and election fraud had undermined the country\u2019s governance and that a tighter ideological grip on its leaders was needed.<\/p>\n Xi Jinping\u2019s strongly worded statement followed a meeting in Beijing last week of hundreds of the party\u2019s elite, who declared him the \u201ccore\u201d of China\u2019s leadership<\/a>and pledged to reform \u201cnorms for political life\u201d.<\/p>\n Since Xi took power in late 2012, the Chinese Communist party has fought an all-out war on corruption.<\/p>\n The People\u2019s Daily, the party\u2019s mouthpiece, published two documents on Wednesday detailing the decisions reached at the four-day meeting, along with a commentary by Xi.<\/p>\n \u201cA handful of senior party officials, overcome by their political cravings and lust for power, have resorted to political conspiracies by working with ostensible obedience, while forming cliques to pursue selfish interests,\u201d he wrote.<\/p>\n \u201cNepotism and election fraud have endured,\u201d he said, adding that \u201cpower abuse, corruption as well as legal and disciplinary violations have been spreading.\u201d<\/p>\n In his comments, Xi made special reference to several toppled officials punished for corruption, including former security czar Zhou Yongkang<\/a>, who state media has previously accused of plotting to challenge the country\u2019s leaders.<\/p>\n Their behaviour, Xi said \u201cexposes not just their serious economic problems, but also exposes their serious political problems\u201d.<\/p>\n