China's Xi calls on party to 'turn knife inward' to end corruption

China's Communist Party must "turn the knife inward" to eliminate discipline problems, including corruption, President Xi Jinping said, a new call to hunt down corrupt officials and those who corrupt them.

Since coming to power over a decade ago, Xi has cracked down on corruption involving party members, whether they were corrupt high-ranking "tigers" or lowly "flies" who failed to implement government policies.

But despite the sweeping crackdown, the party continues to be plagued by graft, particularly within the armed forces. Two former defense ministers have been purged from the party in the past two years for "serious violations of discipline," a euphemism for corruption.

The party must take counter-measures against any interest group, organization of power, or privileged class from preying on or corrupting party members, Xi warned in a speech published on Monday by Qiushi Journal, a flagship party magazine.

"As the situation and tasks facing the party change, there will inevitably be all kinds of conflicts and problems within the party," he said.

"We must have the courage to turn the knife inward and eliminate their negative impact promptly to ensure that the party is always full of vigor and vitality."

Xi's call to "turn the knife inward" was part of his speech at a major meeting with the party's anti-graft watchdog on January 8 but had not been disclosed.

Reuters