Media and local officials in Beijing attend an open house hosted by the discipline inspection body of Beijing's Dongcheng district on April 20. The event, which introduced the district's anti-corruption practices and achievements, was part of the municipal government's initiative to invite media and public for supervision. Photo: VCG

A series of anti-corruption moves have been taken in recent days as multiple cases involving the political and legal systems were put under investigation across China, highlighting the central government's zero tolerance toward corrupt behaviors. Stricter measures will be introduced to deal with the recent spike of corruption cases, experts predicted. 

Shanghai Deputy Mayor Gong Dao'an, who was also director of the city's public security bureau, was the latest to be put under investigation on Tuesday for serious violation of principles and laws. 

The judicial system is the last line of defense to maintain social fairness and justice, Wei Changdong, head of the Chinese Society of Criminology, told China Newsweek. "If judicial corruption in a country becomes an obvious problem, it means that the basic concept of justice is lost and people no longer believe in a fair society."

In late July, the prosecutor of a court in Baotou, North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, was put under investigation for obvious errors in judicial procedures when dealing with a defendant who was charged with organized gang activity and fraud. The case was showcased as a typical negative example of the abuse of power and bribery in the local judicial system. 

In response to the recent spike of corruption cases, the Committee of Political and Legal Affairs, the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee unveiled a campaign on July 8 that covers not only the political and judicial systems, but also the police, prison and security bodies nationwide. The campaign is expected to be carried out at all levels of political and legal systems from 2021, and complete its mission by the first quarter of 2022, according to China Newsweek. 

The anti-corruption campaign is generally being divided into three phases: an overall crackdown, remaining resistance mop-up, and long-term mechanism for precautions, Su Wei, a professor at the Party School of the CPC Chongqing Municipal Committee, told the Global Times on Sunday. 

Su noted that achievements have been made in the first phase, as gangs and their "protective umbrellas" in the political and legal systems were cracked down. The campaign has now entered the second phase, with a self-inspection and self-reporting system as the last place for violators to confess, Su said, explaining the mechanism intended to keep the system effective.

Su noted that  the first task is to perfect the country's socialist market economy system, which can curb the development of the "black economy" and further shake the foundations of gangs' power.

The second task is to modernize the country's governance system, and capability will be another key measure to prevent gangs' power from infiltrating the authorities at all levels, Su said.