China has been rapidly expanding its network of detention centers as part of President Xi Jinping’s ongoing anti-corruption campaign. More than 200 new facilities have been built across the country to hold people accused of corruption and other misdeeds, a reflection of Xi’s broader crackdown that now targets not only Communist Party members but also a wide range of public sector officials.
Since Xi took power in 2012, he has led an aggressive campaign to root out corruption, taking down both party officials and political rivals at an unprecedented pace. This effort has been central to his leadership, helping him consolidate power within the Communist Party and military. As Xi enters his third term, the anti-corruption campaign has become a permanent feature of his rule, expanding to include not just party members but also public officials, business leaders, and administrators in schools and hospitals.
The expanded detention system, known as liuzhi or retention in custody, allows authorities to hold suspects for up to six months without access to lawyers or family members. This system builds on earlier, secretive detention methods used by the party’s disciplinary body to investigate corruption. While Xi abolished the previous shuanggui system in 2018, which allowed the party to detain its members without oversight, the practice of extralegal detention was not eliminated. Instead, it was codified into law and placed under the control of the newly established National Supervisory Commission (NSC).
The liuzhi system has many similarities to shuanggui, including the power to detain individuals incommunicado. Lawyers who have represented those detained under liuzhi report that detainees often suffer abuse and are pressured into making forced confessions. Liuzhi’s reach now extends far beyond party members to anyone in a public sector role, including civil servants, business executives, and even individuals suspected of bribing officials.
Notable detainees under the liuzhi system include Bao Fan, a billionaire investment banker, and Li Tie, a former footballer and coach of China’s national soccer team. More than 100 senior executives from publicly listed companies, many from the private sector, have also been detained in recent years. The Chinese government has defended the expansion of the system, arguing that it helps fight corruption in everyday public services, such as hospitals and schools.
Since 2017, over 200 liuzhi detention centers have been constructed or expanded across China. These facilities are often located in regions with high ethnic minority populations, such as Ningxia, and are designed with safety in mind. Detention cells and interrogation rooms are equipped with padded walls and rounded corners to prevent detainees from injuring themselves. Electrical fixtures, surveillance equipment, and other installations are designed to prevent any potential harm to the detainees.
The expansion of these detention centers highlights the government’s determination to continue its anti-corruption efforts. In some regions, such as Inner Mongolia, the number of people detained under liuzhi has surged, indicating the growing scale of the crackdown. Critics argue that the expansion of the system further erodes civil liberties and due process protections. The lack of oversight in the liuzhi system, combined with its ability to detain individuals without legal recourse, has raised concerns about the increasing authoritarian nature of Xi Jinping’s leadership.
China’s growing network of liuzhi detention centers is an integral part of Xi Jinping’s expanded anti-corruption campaign, now affecting both the public and private sectors. While the system aims to prevent self-harm and improve safety for detainees, it has raised significant concerns about the erosion of civil liberties and the centralization of power under Xi’s rule.
