Moderate level of corruption

适度腐败 (shìdù fǔbài): moderate level of corruption

The editorial “Fighting Corruption is a Crucial Battle for Chinese Society,” as it originally appeared in the print version of the Global TImes on May 29, 2012.

On May 29, 2012, the Global Times published an article entitled, “Fighting Corruption is a Crucial Battle for Chinese Society” (反腐败是中国社会发展的攻坚战).The article, which has since been deleted, is preserved in translation by China Media Project.

The article stated that the ”public must understand . . . the objective fact and reality that China has no way of entirely suppressing corruption without sending the whole country into pain and confusion.”

The article, which seemed to suggest that Chinese citizens should be willing to accept a “moderate level of corruption,” caused an outpouring of criticism, which was only exacerbated when QQ.com reposted the article under the headline “China Must Permit Moderate Corruption, the Public Should Understand” (要允许中国适度 民众应理解).