Technologies facilitate anti-corruption governance

The anti-corruption campaign, launched after the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2012, has made extraordinary strides. The effectiveness of the campaign can be gauged from the fact that in 2024 alone, China's disciplinary inspection and supervision bodies investigated 596,000 cases of corruption and misconduct at the grassroots level, penalized 462,000 individuals, and referred 15,000 cases to the procuratorate.

The campaign underscores the Party's resolve to root out corruption from China. Yet, like in other countries, the fight against corruption is a long-term and multifaceted challenge. Since the evolving nature of corruption demands innovative solutions, technologies such as big data, artificial intelligence and virtual reality can be used to make governance corruption-free. These technologies can help prevent and detect corruption, as well as educate people about the ill-effects of corruption.

One of the greatest challenges in the traditional fight against corruption is the fragmentation of data. Corruption-related information often exists in silos across various departments, making it difficult to identify risks in real time and prevent problems.

To address this, the State Grid Fujian Electric Power Co Ltd. has developed the 365"digital" integrity wisdom supervision platform, which integrates data from multiple sectors, such as human resources, finance and procurement, into a unified system. By using big data and advanced analytics, the platform generates a comprehensive "integrity profile" for each and every official, monitoring their performance across various domains.

The platform not only identifies irregularities but also uses early warning systems, prompting investigations to be launched before issues become widespread. For example, it compares project costs across different sites to detect unusual discrepancies, and analyzes financial transactions to flag suspicious activity. Since its launch in August 2023, the system has identified 17 potential issues, leading to the launch of nine formal investigations, recovery of 1.55 million yuan ($212,070) and the resolution of more than 1,500 cases.

Grassroots officials directly impact local residents' daily lives, but traditional oversight mechanisms often overlook this level of governance. Public disclosures in many cases remain a formality — for many, information is "visible" but not necessarily "understandable". In many cases, this leads to disengagement from the people, who may feel powerless to act on information that seems overly complex or irrelevant.

To address this, the Fujian Commission for Discipline Inspection has devised a new and innovative supervision method by establishing a small-scale grassroots power platform based on the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection's "One-Click" supervision platform. By leveraging AI technology, the system converts complex administrative language into clear, simple expressions, making it easier for the people to understand the details of local governance, such as village finance or public fund usage.

This system not only ensures transparency but also fosters a more interactive and participatory approach. For example, in a town of Putian city in Fujian, the platform flagged a report on misappropriated social security funds in February 2024, leading to the immediate launch of an immediate investigation. This rapid response mechanism strengthens public trust in government departments.

The platform now connects more than 17,000 villages and neighborhoods in Fujian, with nearly 10 million people participating in supervision through WeChat groups. This network creates a robust, grassroots-driven system of accountability that directly engages people in the process of governance.

The traditional way of educating people about the harms of corruption often involves lectures, documents and case studies, but these methods may be short on emotional resonance. Especially, when it comes to conveying the full consequences of corruption, such approaches are not that impactful.

Xiamen city in Fujian has adopted a novel way of spreading education on corruption. The 732-square-meter anti-corruption education center it has built offers an immersive experience to visitors, which makes them face the consequences of corruption through VR simulations that in turn allows them to witness firsthand how small ethical lapses can snowball into a serious breach of law.

This innovative approach shifts the focus of education on corruption from passive learning to active engagement. By allowing visitors to experience the progress from minor violations to significant crimes, the VR simulations help them understand the moral and personal costs of corruption. The center uses real-life cases, including confessions and personal stories, to reveal the real human cost of unethical behavior, making the lesson far more impactful than traditional methods.

Technologies such as big data, AI and VR are not just tools — they are catalysts for the development of anti-corruption governance. While big data enables the precise identification of corruption risks, making prevention more effective, AI enhances grassroots oversight by making it more transparent and participatory, and VR provides an immersive learning experience that resonates with individuals, reinforcing the moral and personal costs of corruption.

These technologies, when integrated into a unified system, facilitate early detection of corruption, engage the public in the fight against corruption, and promote education against corruption. This shift not only enhances transparency but also strengthens accountability at every level of government.

The future of anti-corruption governance lies in the intelligent application of these technologies. As they continue to evolve, their potential to reshape governance, improve oversight and foster a culture of integrity grows exponentially. By embracing these innovations, China is setting an example for the world on how to make governance transparent, accountable and effective.

The author is the dean of the School of Public Affairs, Xiamen University. The views don't necessarily represent those of China Daily.

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