FROM FORMER SECURITY CHIEF ZHOU YONGKANG to the most recently fallen Ling Jihua, former vice-chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, almost every senior corrupt official has been found to own a network of personal relations, intermingled with power and interests, involving hundreds of officials. Such gangs of corruption must be removed for the ongoing anti-graft efforts to truly succeed. Comments:

Corruption gangs, like cancer, are so rampant that an incredibly high percentage of officials are involved in them; worse, those staying clean face an adverse situation during selection for promotion because cleanness is against the interests of these gangs. For the top leadership, there is no choice but to fight this gang culture to the very end, so that the campaign against corruption won't fail halfway.

people.com.cn, Dec 31