China Expands Detention Centers Amid Xi's Intensified Anti-Corruption Drive

China has expanded its network of specialized detention facilities to more than 200 nationwide, designed to interrogate suspects in Xi Jinping's growing anti-corruption campaign.

- TBG NETWORK

These new centres, part of the country’s broader crackdown, now target not only Communist Party members but also figures from various public sectors, including private entrepreneurs and administrators in schools and hospitals. Since Xi took power in 2012, his anti-graft campaign has swiftly removed corrupt officials and political rivals, consolidating his control over the party and military. Now in his third term, Xi has institutionalised this crackdown, making it a permanent fixture of his leadership. The newly expanded detention system, named “Liuzhi” or “retention in custody,” involves facilities with padded cells and 24/7 surveillance, where detainees can be held for up to six months without legal representation or family visits. This is a continuation of a system previously used to intimidate and control party members. Historically, the Communist Party’s Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) had used secretive detention methods to interrogate suspected officials, with no legal counsel or family access.