A summary of the penalties the EP-Men (the billionaires of China) face in China
Evergrande Group was fined RMB
8.82 billion (≈ US$1.31 billion), and its main subsidiary, Evergrande Real
Estate, was fined RMB 7 billion (≈ US$1.04 billion), totaling RMB 15.82 billion
(≈ US$2.4 billion).
56 other individuals linked to
the developer – including Hui’s two sons, Hui Tenghe and Hui Zhijian received
prison terms ranging from 18 years to 1 year and 10 months.
Hui was convicted of 8 offences:
illegal absorption of public deposits, fund‑raising fraud, illegal lending,
securities issuance fraud, disclosure of false important information, bribery
by an entity, illegal use of funds, and misappropriation of funds.
I stated in the book that “In bourgeois democracies, leaders are incentivized to accumulate as much personal wealth as possible before leaving office—because they know their time is limited. In a socialist state, leaders are professional revolutionaries who serve for life, and do not need to accumulate personal assets because the collective assets of the state are at their disposal—but only in service of the people. This is not a 'new class'; it is the very opposite of bourgeois corruption.
Bourgeois Democracy leaders come
and go every 4–5 years. Leaders accumulate personal wealth before leaving. Corruption
is structural. The state serves the bourgeoisie. Socialist
State leaders serve for life, accountable to the party and the
people. Corruption is severely punished; the system is designed to
prevent personal enrichment, to serve the collective interests of the laboring
masses.” This data on China and its fight against corruption
has significant importance.
Originally, I had the intention to
add an Appendix with the data I had collected. However, I did not want to
increase the page count of the book for various reasons. This news gave me a
chance to share my data in an article form.
We read and listen to Western
Sources these kind of news in a “negative,
distorted way”, in most cases based on gossip; it is
important to look at the facts from the original sources.
A look at the validated cases
where one can make a deduction based on the data. However, one has to consider
the fact that China has a population of over 1.4 billion. That means it has
more challenges to face compared to the socialist states with a population
under 100 million - especially those with under 10 million.
As the Soviet Union had NEP-Men,
China has “billionaire-EP-Men”. Stalin ended NEP in 1934 in order to prevent
their strengthening and becoming a larger problem. I have not had any nuanced
research on the subject regarding the question of “Chauvinism
(Russian) and “forced-Chauvinism” (nationalities) Stalin mentions
due to the multinational character of the Soviets. The Soviet Union was a federal
state composed of formal union republics with distinct titular nationalities,
their own Communist Party branches, and significant administrative autonomy.
The NEP-Men were not just a "capitalist class" in Moscow; they
operated powerfully in the periphery (Ukraine, Georgia, Central Asia, etc.). If
the state moved aggressively against these local elites, the population could
become "defensive" and rally around nationalist sentiments, viewing
the crackdown not as anti-corruption or socialist justice, but as Great Russian
domination. This would undermine Soviet unity and empower separatist
tendencies. Stalin had to balance this—hence the calculated, sometimes cautious,
approach to the national question while still politically suppressing the
NEP-Men over time (culminating in the end of NEP in the late 1920s/early
1930s).
The Soviet Union under Stalin had
strict legal instruments and severe enforcement against the NEP-Men. Show
trials, executions (e.g., the Shakhty Trial of 1928), imprisonment, and asset
confiscation were very much part of the Soviet toolkit. So the legal
capacity to punish is not unique to China; both systems had/have it. Stalin
explicitly warned against "Great Russian chauvinism" and "local
bourgeois nationalism." Harsh crackdowns on wealthy, powerful NEP-Men in
these smaller republics risked being perceived by the local population as
ethnic or national oppression by the center -Moscow.
China, while multi-ethnic,
does not have the same federal structure with 15 constituent union
republics that possess formal statehood, independent governmental structures,
and distinct Communist Parties with quasi-sovereign ties. The Han
demographic majority and the unitary political system mean that prosecuting
billionaires in Guangdong, Shanghai, or Zhejiang does not carry the same
acute "nationalities question" political calculus as it did in
the USSR. A crackdown on a wealthy developer in southern China does not
immediately trigger defensive nationalist sentiments among a minority
population in the same way a crackdown on a Georgian or Ukrainian
NEP-Man might have.
Like the
NEP-Men of the 1920s USSR, China's private-sector billionaires accumulated
vast wealth during a period of economic liberalisation. Unlike the NEP-Men,
however, China's legal system has demonstrated a consistent capacity to
prosecute and penalize those who cross the line from legitimate enterprise into
criminal activity — with penalties ranging from asset confiscation to life
imprisonment.
The statistic supplied
by Western Sources, “17% of billionaires investigated, prosecuted, jailed, or
executed,” cannot be verified through official or authoritative sources. No
credible academic study or official database supports this exact figure. It
probably originates from unofficial estimates or
analyses. Similarly, Jack Ma (Alibaba) has never been
criminally convicted or formally indicted. In late 2020 to early 2021, he
disappeared from public view for several months, and Alibaba Group and Ant
Group faced anti‑trust investigations and financial technology
regulatory rectification. Ant Group’s IPO was halted, and Ma
was required to relinquish control over Ant Group, leading to a corporate
restructuring. These are administrative regulatory measures, not criminal
penalties. Placing Ma’s case alongside the criminal convictions above is
misleading in terms of legal nature.
Based on available historical
records, one can not find any cases in industrialized capitalist states (such
as the United States or Western European countries) where a billionaire
or corporate CEO was sentenced to death or life imprisonment. In
Western capitalist countries, the “fines” to the corporations seem astronomical
to an average person, but in reality they are insignificant amounts for the
corporations. 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill is a textbook case. Originally, the
court ordered Exxon to pay $2.5 billion in punitive damages. However, after a
lengthy appeals process, the U.S. Supreme Court reduced this amount to $507.7
million in 2008. The controversy over this verdict lies in the relative size of
the amount. The original $2.5 billion fine was equivalent to
approximately 2.5 days' worth of revenue for ExxonMobil at the time.
The reduced $507 million fine was equivalent to just a typical
afternoon's revenue for the company.
Similarly, in 2024, the company
was fined $50,000 for leaking 5.3 million liters of toxic wastewater in
Alberta, Canada. Given that the company's 2023 operating revenue was 50.7
billion Canadian dollars, this fine was equivalent to roughly 35
seconds' worth of its revenue. The company, Bayer, was ordered
to pay $500 million in damages (3.5 days of income) related to glyphosate-based
herbicide harm, while its annual revenue exceeds $43 billion.
In capitalist countries, there are no serious imprisonment penalties but fines
that are seemingly astronomical numbers, after which the final
adjudication lack their actual punitive and deterrent effect relative to the
daily profitability of these corporate giants. Corruption is the
structure of the capitalist system.
Going back to the major cases of
EP-Men and official corruption, the list is important to debunk arguments that
China is owned by a capitalist class.
Xu Xiang (Zexi Investment); On
23 January 2017, the Qingdao Intermediate People’s Court in Shandong delivered
the verdict for the Charge of stock market manipulation
and Sentenced to 5 years and 6 months’ imprisonment and a fine of
RMB 11 billion. Two co‑defendants: Wang Wei (3 years, fine of RMB 1
billion) and Zhu Yong (2 years, suspended for 3 years, fine of RMB 50 million).
Wu Xiaohui (Anbang Insurance); On
10 May 2018, the Shanghai No. 1 Intermediate People’s Court, based on the
charges of fund‑raising fraud (defrauding over RMB 65.2 billion) and
embezzlement (misappropriating RMB 10 billion), ruled 18 years’
imprisonment and deprivation of political rights for four years and
confiscation of personal property worth RMB 10.5 billion.
Lai Xiaomin (former
Chairman of China Huarong Asset Management) was executed on 29 January 2021 for
accepting bribes totaling RMB 1.788 billion and embezzling RMB 25.13 million.
The Tianjin Higher People’s Court upheld the death sentence on 5 January 2021.
This is one of the largest‑ever corruption cases by monetary value since the
founding of the People’s Republic of China.
Xiao Jianhua, a
Canadian‑born Chinese businessman (Tomorrow Holdings); On 19 August
2022, the Shanghai No. 1 Intermediate People’s Court, with the Charges of
illegal absorption of public deposits, breach of trust in managing entrusted
assets, illegal use of funds, and bribery by an entity, pronounced the verdict.
Xiao Jianhua was sentenced to 13 years’ imprisonment and fined RMB 6.5 million.
Sun Lijun – Former
Party Member and Vice Minister of Public Security. Sun Lijun was one of the
highest‑ranking officials in the public security system to fall since the 18th
National Congress. His case involved not only massive bribery but also stock
market manipulation and illegal possession of firearms. It was listed as one of
the “Top Ten Typical Cases of 2022.” On 23 September 2022, the
Changchun Intermediate People’s Court in Jilin Province delivered its first‑instance
verdict. Sentenced to death with a two‑year reprieve for bribery, deprived of
political rights for life, and confiscation of all personal property; after
commutation to life imprisonment, subject to permanent life imprisonment
without commutation or parole. Sentenced to 8 years for stock market
manipulation (fine RMB 1 million) and 5 years for illegal possession of
firearms. Total bribe amount: over RMB 646 million (≈ US$89.4 million),
spanning 2001 to April 2020. He directed others to manipulate stock prices
through concentrated buying and other means, helping others avoid losses of
over RMB 145 million (≈ US$20 million). He illegally possessed two firearms. He
was given a lighter sentence due to significant meritorious service, voluntary
disclosure of some bribes, and active cooperation in asset recovery.
Fu Zhenghua, Former Deputy
Director of the Social and Legal Affairs Committee of the CPPCC National
Committee and Former Minister of Justice. The distinctive feature of his case
was that he used his authority to cover up the serious crimes of his younger
brother, Fu Weihua, and failed to prosecute him for a long period – a classic
example of “lamp‑black” family‑style corruption. On 22 September 2022, the
Changchun Intermediate People’s Court in Jilin Province delivered its first‑instance
verdict. Sentenced to death with a two‑year reprieve for bribery, deprived of
political rights for life, and confiscation of all personal property; after
commutation to life imprisonment, subject to permanent life imprisonment
without commutation or parole. Sentenced to 14 years for perverting
the course of justice. Total bribe amount: over RMB 117 million (≈ US$16.2
million), spanning 2005 to 2021. He concealed and failed to lawfully handle his
younger brother’s serious criminal offences. After his case, he voluntarily
confessed, expressed remorse, actively returned proceeds, and demonstrated
significant meritorious service, resulting in a lighter punishment.
Liu Guoqiang – Former
Deputy Party Secretary and Vice Chairman of the Liaoning Provincial
CPPCC. On 8 November 2022, the Tianjin No. 1 Intermediate People’s
Court delivered its first‑instance verdict. Sentenced to death with a two‑year
reprieve for bribery, deprived of political rights for life, and confiscation
of all personal property; after commutation to life imprisonment, subject to
permanent life imprisonment without commutation or parole. Total bribe amount:
over RMB 352 million (≈ US$48.7 million), spanning 2008 to 2020.
According to incomplete
statistics, in 2024 alone, Chinese courts tried at least 25 corrupt officials
whose bribe amounts exceeded RMB 100 million (≈ US$13.8 million) each. The
total value of bribes accepted by these individuals was approximately RMB 7.8
billion (≈ US$1.08 billion). The vast majority avoided the
death penalty. After the 20th National Congress, the anti‑corruption campaign
has not slackened: in the first ten months of 2024, at least 50 centrally‑managed
officials (mostly at the provincial‑ministerial level) were placed under
investigation. Official data for the previous year showed that at least 19
corrupt officials had each taken bribes exceeding RMB 100 million.
Zhang Huayu (former Deputy
President of China Everbright Bank); In 2023, he was convicted of bribery,
illegal lending, and other offences, receiving a prison term of 12 years and
six months.
Yao Zhenhua (Baoneng
Group) – In 2023, he was subjected to compulsory measures on charges of illegal
fund‑raising. The case is still under trial.
Zhou Jiangyong, Former
Member of the Zhejiang Provincial Party Committee and Former Party Secretary of
Hangzhou. His case involved using his position to seek benefits for others in
project contracting and business operations. On 25 July 2023, the Chuzhou
Intermediate People’s Court in Anhui Province delivered its first‑instance
verdict. Sentenced to death with a two‑year reprieve for bribery, deprived of
political rights for life, and had all personal property confiscated. Total
bribe amount: RMB 182 million (≈ US$25 million).
Cai Esheng was
a high‑ranking official in China’s financial regulatory system. His case
involved three offences – bribery, influence‑peddling bribery, and
abuse of power – highlighting the serious problem of “guardians
turning thieves” within financial supervision. On 29 December 2023,
the Zhenjiang Intermediate People’s Court in Jiangsu Province delivered its
first‑instance verdict. Sentenced to death with a two‑year reprieve for
bribery, deprived of political rights for life, and confiscation of all
personal property; after commutation to life imprisonment, he was subject to
permanent life imprisonment without commutation or parole. Additionally,
sentenced to 12 years for influence‑peddling bribery.
Tian Huiyu – Former
Party Secretary and President of China Merchants Bank. On 5 February 2024, the
Changde Intermediate People’s Court in Hunan Province delivered its first‑instance
verdict. Sentenced to death with a two‑year reprieve for bribery; 7 years’
imprisonment and a fine of RMB 300 million for trading on non‑public
information. Bribes: over RMB 210 million (≈ US$29 million); illegal profits
from non‑public information: over RMB 290 million (≈ US$40 million); insider
trading profits: over RMB 8.07 million.
Fan Yifei – Former
Deputy Governor of the People’s Bank of China. He was one of the
highest‑ranking officials from the People’s Bank of China. In 2024,
the court found him guilty of accepting bribes totaling RMB 386 million (≈
US$53.4 million). Sentenced to death with a two‑year reprieve (exact date of
the verdict is pending further verification)
Bai Tianhui – Former
General Manager of China Huarong International Holdings; On 22 May
2024, the Tianjin No. 2 Intermediate People’s Court handed down a first‑instance
verdict: Bai was sentenced to death for bribery, deprived of political rights
for life, and had all personal property confiscated. Received Bribes of RMB
1.108 Billion. As the former general manager of China Huarong International
Holdings, he amassed enormous wealth through corporate acquisitions, project
financing, and other channels. The court found his crimes “extremely heinous,
with no grounds for leniency.” On 9 December 2025, Bai Tianhui was
executed.
He Zehua – Former
Party Member and Deputy Director of the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration.
On 29 May 2024, the Dalian Intermediate People’s Court in Liaoning Province
delivered its first‑instance verdict. Sentenced to death with a two‑year
reprieve for bribery, deprived of political rights for life, and confiscation
of all personal property; after commutation to life imprisonment, he is subject
to permanent life imprisonment without commutation or parole. Bribe
amount: RMB 940 million (≈ US$130 million).
Li Dong, Former
Deputy General Manager of China Energy Investment Group. On 16 July 2024, the
Yichun Intermediate People’s Court in Jiangxi Province delivered its first‑instance
verdict. Sentenced to life imprisonment for bribery, deprived of political
rights for life, and had all personal property confiscated. Bribes: over RMB
108 million (≈ US$15 million), spanning 1999 to 2023. He was described as
“brazenly feeding on coal, using ‘investment’ and ‘agency’ as covers for large‑scale
power‑for‑money deals.”
Chen Rugui, Former Deputy
Director of the Guangdong Provincial People’s Congress Standing Committee and
Former Mayor of Shenzhen. His corrupt activities spanned 19 years
(2003–2022) and covered areas such as project contracting, business
facilitation, and enterprise operations. On 6 August 2024, the Nanning
Intermediate People’s Court in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region delivered its
first‑instance verdict. Sentenced to life imprisonment for bribery, deprived of
political rights for life, and had all personal property
confiscated. Total bribe amount: over RMB 108 million (≈ US$15
million). Part of the bribes were attempted (not completed). He
voluntarily confessed, expressed remorse, and actively returned ill‑gotten
gains, leading to a lighter sentence.
Wang Dawei, Former
Vice Governor of Liaoning Province and Director of the Provincial Public
Security Department. Wang Dawei’s case is one of the highest‑value cases within
the public security system in recent years. He used his position as provincial
police chief to seek benefits for others. In 2024, the court found that he had
accepted bribes exceeding RMB 550 million (≈ US$76 million). Sentenced to death
with a two‑year reprieve (exact date of the verdict is pending further
verification).
Sun Zhigang, Former
Party Secretary of Guizhou Province. Sun Zhigang was the first former
provincial party secretary to fall after the 20th National Congress of the
Communist Party. As a “regional viceroy” governing an entire province, his
corrupt activities were wide‑ranging and long‑lasting, making his case one of
the highest‑value bribery cases among provincial‑ministerial officials in
recent years. On 29 October 2024, the Tianjin No. 2 Intermediate People’s Court
delivered its first‑instance verdict. Sentenced to death with a two‑year
reprieve for bribery, deprived of political rights for life, and confiscation
of all personal property; after commutation to life imprisonment, subject to
permanent life imprisonment without commutation or parole. Total
bribe amount: over RMB 813 million (≈ US$112 million).
Jiang Jie, Former
Vice Chairman of the Tibet Autonomous Region CPPCC. On 12 October 2024, the
Tianjin No. 1 Intermediate People’s Court delivered its first‑instance verdict.
Sentenced to death with a two‑year reprieve for bribery. Bribes: over RMB 225
million (≈ US$31.1 million), spanning 2000 to 2023.
Liu Liange ( Former
Party Secretary and Chairman of the Bank of China, one of the
country’s four largest state‑owned banks) was involved in both
bribery and illegal lending, which seriously disrupted financial order. Charged
with accepting bribes of over RMB 121 million (≈ US$16.7 million) and illegally
issuing loans totaling over RMB 3.32 billion (≈ US$459 million). In November
2024, he was sentenced to death with a two‑year reprieve. Death with Reprieve
Li Jinzhu – Former
Vice Governor of Shaanxi Province – “Coal Tiger”. Li Jinzhu worked for a long
time in Shaanxi, a major energy‑producing province, and was dubbed
the “Coal Tiger” by the media. His case is a classic example
of “feeding on coal while in charge of coal.” On 25 December 2024,
the Guangzhou Intermediate People’s Court delivered its first‑instance verdict.
Sentenced to death with a two‑year reprieve. Bribes totaled RMB 431
million (≈ US$59.6 million).
Zhao Weiguo (former
Chairman of Tsinghua Unigroup) – Death Sentence with a Two‑Year
Reprieve. On 14 May 2025, the Jilin Intermediate People’s Court in Jilin
Province handed down a first‑instance verdict: Sentenced to death with a two‑year
reprieve for embezzlement, deprived of political rights for life, and
confiscation of all personal property. Additionally, five years’
imprisonment for seeking illegal benefits for relatives and friends (fine RMB
10 million), and three years for breaching fiduciary duty harming a listed
company (fine RMB 2 million). Embezzled state assets worth over RMB
470 million and caused direct state economic losses of over RMB 890 million.
Qin Rupei, Former
Vice Chairman of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Government. On
6 August 2025, the Deyang Intermediate People’s Court in Sichuan Province
delivered its first‑instance verdict. Sentenced to death with a two‑year
reprieve for bribery, deprived of political rights for life, and confiscation
of all personal property. Bribes: over RMB 216 million (≈ US$29.9 million),
spanning 1998 to 2024.
Tang Renjian, Former
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. On 28 September 2025, the Changchun
Intermediate People’s Court in Jilin Province delivered its first‑instance
verdict. Sentenced to death with a two‑year reprieve for bribery, deprived of
political rights for life, and confiscation of all personal property. Bribes:
over RMB 268 million (≈ US$37 million), spanning 2007 to 2024.
Chen Yan, Former Vice
Chairman of the Guizhou Provincial CPPCC. On 29 September 2025, the Chengdu
Intermediate People’s Court in Sichuan Province delivered its first‑instance
verdict. Sentenced to death with a two‑year reprieve for bribery and
7 years’ imprisonment for abuse of power. Bribes: over RMB 357 million (≈
US$49.4 million); abuse of power caused major losses of state funds. He was
given a lighter sentence for significant meritorious service.
Kou Wei; Former Deputy
Party Secretary and General Manager of China Datang Corporation. His corrupt
activities spanned nearly three decades (1996–2024) and involved multiple key
positions within the power system. On 1 April 2026, the Xing’an League
Intermediate People’s Court in Inner Mongolia pronounced its first‑instance
verdict. Sentenced to death with a two‑year reprieve for bribery,
deprived of political rights for life, and had all personal property
confiscated; additionally, 12 years’ imprisonment for embezzlement. Bribe
amount: over RMB 154 million (≈ US$21.3 million). He also conspired
with others to embezzle over RMB 138 million (≈ US$19.1 million) from the
construction funds of the Yunnan Lancang River Hydropower Development Company.
Zhou Xi’an, Former Vice
Chairman of the Anhui Provincial CPPCC. On 7 May 2026, the Zhangzhou
Intermediate People’s Court in Fujian Province delivered its first‑instance
verdict. Sentenced to death with a two‑year reprieve for bribery,
deprived of political rights for life, and confiscation of all personal
property.
Cheng Xiaobo, Member
of the Gansu Provincial Party Committee and Vice Governor – voluntarily
surrendered on 14 August 2026 and is under disciplinary review and supervisory
investigation.
Liu Hui, Former Chairwoman
of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region Government (provincial‑ministerial
level) – was arrested and indicted on 18 August 2026.
Wang Lixia, Former
Chairwoman of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Government (provincial‑ministerial
level) – was arrested on 3 June 2026.
Institutional Characteristics
1. “Permanent Life
Imprisonment Without Commutation or Parole” – The Ultimate
Institutional Punishment
In cases such as Fan Yifei, Wang
Dawei, and Sun Zhigang, the courts explicitly ruled: “After the two‑year
reprieve is completed and the sentence is commuted to life imprisonment, the
convict shall be subject to permanent life imprisonment without commutation or
parole.” This institutional design ensures that the most serious corrupt
officials will never regain their freedom – not “a few years in
prison and then out to enjoy the stolen money,” but genuine lifelong
incarceration.
2. “Zero Tolerance”
Institutionalized
The 2024 work reports of the
Supreme People’s Court and the Supreme People’s Procuratorate stated that,
under the unified leadership of the Party Central Committee, the entire anti‑corruption
chain has been efficiently integrated, “demonstrating the Party Central
Committee’s firm resolve to combat corruption with zero tolerance and to
advance the anti‑corruption campaign in depth without wavering.” Anti‑corruption
has become a long‑term mechanism of “dare not, cannot, and do not want
to be corrupt.”
3. Scope of Recovery –
Illegal Gains and Accrued Interests
All verdicts explicitly state
that "the illicit gains and their accrued interests shall be legally
recovered and turned over to the state treasury." "Accrued
interests" include interest generated from bribes, investment returns, and
property appreciation – even the "money that money made" is fully
confiscated.
Total recovered/confiscated
assets only from the 11 cases above are approximately RMB 3.393 billion (≈
US$469 million)
4. Complete Confiscation of
Personal Property
In every single case listed
above, the verdict includes “confiscation of all personal property.” Corrupt
officials not only lose their freedom and sometimes their lives, but their
entire lifetime accumulation of illicit wealth is completely liquidated – there
is no possibility of “retiring in comfort.” The interest and investment
returns on bribes are also confiscated.
This means that all lawful and
unlawful assets of the corrupt official are seized by the state – not merely
the bribe money, but also legitimate assets accumulated through salaries,
including real estate, bank deposits, and equity holdings. Unlike the "fines"
or "partial confiscation" common in bourgeois democracies, this is
a complete zeroing‑out of personal wealth.
5. Coverage “to the Last Mile”
From provincial‑ministerial level
(Sun Zhigang, Tang Renjian, Liu Hui, Wang Lixia) to vice‑ministerial level (Fan
Yifei, Wang Dawei, Liu Liange, etc.), from finance to energy to local
government, anti‑corruption knows no forbidden zones, full coverage, and zero
tolerance. As official statements emphasise, the goal is to “uproot the
soil and conditions that breed corruption.”
6. "Permanent Life
Imprisonment Without Commutation or Parole" – Assets Cannot
"Buy Freedom"
In cases such as Fan Yifei, Wang
Dawei, and Sun Zhigang, the courts explicitly ruled: "After the two‑year
reprieve is completed and the sentence is commuted to life imprisonment, the
convict shall be subject to permanent life imprisonment without commutation or
parole." This means that Corrupt officials can never regain
their freedom by any means – there is no "early release for good
behaviour" and no possibility of "buying commutation with
money." Confiscated assets can never be reclaimed by the
convict or their family members.
Comparative Table:
Bourgeois Democracy vs. Socialist State (China’s Practice)
|
Socialist State (China’s Practice) |
Comparative Dimension |
Bourgeois Democracy |
|
Life‑long tenure, long‑term service |
Tenure of leaders |
4–5 years, leave office at term end |
|
|
|
|
|
No need for personal accumulation; collective assets serve
the people |
Incentive for corruption |
Limited term; maximize personal accumulation before
exit |
|
Death penalty, life imprisonment, permanent life without
parole, total asset confiscation |
Consequences of corruption |
Often fines, short prison terms, or lenient
sentences |
|
Systematic anti‑corruption; “dare not, cannot, do not
want to be corrupt” |
Institutional design |
Structural corruption; money‑for‑power
institutionalized |
|
From provincial‑ministerial
level to grassroots – full coverage, zero tolerance |
Scope of punishment |
Occasional high‑official
falls |
|
|
|
|
|
Asset recovery |
Full confiscation + interest |
Often limited fines or partial forfeiture |
Conclusion
Unlike the Capitalist
West’s lack of prison sentences but ridiculous amount of “fines” for corruption
and crimes; between 2024 and 2026, China’s courts sentenced a series of
provincial‑ministerial officials – including Sun Zhigang (RMB 813
million), Wang Dawei (RMB 555 million), Fan Yifei (RMB 386 million), and Chen
Yan (RMB 357 million) – to death with reprieve plus permanent life
imprisonment without commutation or parole. These facts demonstrate, under the
socialist system, the institutional logic that “power serves the people, not
personal wallets.” This is not the formation of a “new class” – it is
the most thorough liquidation of corrupt elements ever seen.
The data above demonstrate that
under China's socialist state system, the consequences of corruption
are complete asset liquidation and lifelong deprivation of liberty.
There is no "pay a fine and move on" or "get out
after a few years to enjoy the stolen money" – this constitutes the
strongest empirical evidence for the institutional logic that "power
serves the people, not personal wallets."
The sheer magnitude of the total
asset confiscations (over RMB 3.39 billion across just 11 recent cases)
combined with the unprecedented legal mechanism of "permanent life
imprisonment without commutation or parole," provides concrete, verifiable
evidence that the system is structurally designed to ensure that
power cannot be converted into personal dynastic wealth.
Corruption is structural in Capitalist systems; it is something to fight
against and severely punish in a Socialist State.
August 21, 2026
