China maintains high-pressure anti-graft drive, sees rising prosecutions in 2025

China's procuratorial authorities have maintained a high-pressure approach against corruption, prosecuting a growing number of duty-related crimes in 2025, according to the Supreme People's Procuratorate.

In the first 11 months of the year, procuratorates nationwide reviewed and accepted more than 27,000 duty-related crime cases transferred by supervisory authorities and brought prosecutions against over 26,000 individuals. The figures represent year-on-year increases of about 11 percent and 20 percent, respectively.

Judicial corruption remained a key enforcement focus. Procuratorates strengthened internal checks and coordination while tightening scrutiny over evidence, legal application, and procedural compliance. From January to November, more than 1,300 judicial officials were placed under investigation for crimes including abuse of power, bending the law for personal gain, and coercive interrogation, with public prosecutions initiated against over 1,000 of them.

Anti-corruption efforts also intensified across priority and livelihood-related sectors. During the same period, procuratorates prosecuted more than 7,800 individuals for duty-related crimes in key areas such as finance, State-owned enterprises, energy, engineering construction, and bidding. In sectors closely tied to public welfare, including healthcare and education, more than 4,100 individuals were prosecuted, while an additional 1,200 cases involved personnel from township and village-level organizations.

Zhang Xiaojin, head of the SPP's procuratorial department for duty-related crimes, said prosecutors have also focused on areas including housing security, elderly care, medical insurance funds, school meals, and the protection of the rights of people with disabilities. The SPP has worked with the Supreme People's Court to release typical cases aimed at strengthening punishment of "petty corruption" that directly affects people's daily lives.

Zhang added that authorities have stepped up efforts against bribery, seeking to dismantle networks linking bribe-givers and bribe-takers. In the first 11 months of 2025, procuratorates prosecuted 2,982 individuals for bribery-related offenses, up about 7.6 percent year-on-year.

At the same time, prosecutors have worked to recover and correct illicit gains from bribery. Zhang said the SPP has conducted targeted research with relevant departments to improve calculation and recovery mechanisms, strengthening both punishment and prevention of bribery-related crimes.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of "Sky Net", China's international anti-corruption fugitive repatriation campaign. Between January and November, procuratorates assisted in persuading, repatriating, or extraditing 12 suspects from overseas. Arrest decisions were issued for 23 fugitive suspects in duty-related crime cases, while applications for confiscation of illegal gains were filed against seven suspects who had absconded or died.

Zhang said procuratorial authorities are also helping improve China's legal framework for pursuing fugitives and recovering illicit assets. The SPP has participated in drafting laws and regulations on combating cross-border corruption and, together with the SPC, is advancing judicial interpretations on the application of trial-in-absentia procedures.