China is set to give President Xi Jinping a powerful new weapon — a Communist Party-led anti-corruption agency to police not only the party’s cadres, but also doctors, teachers, and other state employees.
The move is part of a sweeping government reorganisation to boost the authority of the party headed by Mr. Xi. The National People’s Congress on Tuesday began a third and final reading of a draft supervision law that would extend the newly formed anti-graft body’s authority over vast numbers of workers in the public sector.
The law would merge the party’s anti-graft watchdog body with one overseeing the civil service to form a new National Supervision Commission, defined as a political body independent of the Cabinet, courts and prosecutors, raising fears of political abuse.
The body will have the right to detain suspects for up to six months without seeking a judge’s permission. Authorities must inform the suspect’s family and work unit of their detention within 24 hours, according to the draft aw.
