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(Anti) Corruption in China’s Belt and Road Initiative
According to the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), by 2017, the anticorruption drive had investigated more than 2.7 million officials, penalized more than 1.5 million people and criminally convicted 58,000, including more than 120 “tigers” (high-ranking civilian and military officials).
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The data show 83 FCPA cases involving conduct in China — more than any other country by far, although it turns out all the cases involved multinational corporations operating in China. (JP/Wienda Parwitasari)
E
arly this year, Laode Syarif, the deputy chief of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), asked the government to be careful with investments from China, citing data from the United States Department of Justice on enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA).
The data show 83 FCPA cases involving conduct in China — more than any other country by far, although it turns out all the cases involved multinational corporations operating in China.
“If a European or American investor gets caught bribing officials in a foreign country, they will be punished back home. That doesn’t happen in China, or in Indonesia,” Laode said.
That is true, albeit partly. One example is the graft case involving Malaysia’s former prime minister, Najib Razak. While investigation reports on Najib are manifold, we have barely heard news about any investigation in China into the Chinese counterpart who was linked to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad project or other China-linked projects overseas.
On the other hand, China has already enforced a legal instrument akin to the FCPA. China’s Criminal Law criminalizes Chinese corporations and individuals that bribe foreign officials and international organizations. The punishment is three to 10 years in years and a fine, depending on the amount of the bribe.
Why have not we heard anything? This is a contrast to the glossy achievements of China’s anticorruption campaign. The country’s hunt for “flies and tigers” has been in overdrive ever since President Xi Jinping came into power in March 2013.
According to the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), by 2017, the anticorruption drive had investigated more than 2.7 million officials, penalized more than 1.5 million people and criminally convicted 58,000, including more than 120 “tigers” (high-ranking civilian and military officials).
