They say that power corrupts, but absolute power corrupts absolutely. Realising that public anger at corruption was threatening the legitimacy of the Communist Party, President Xi Jingping launched a wave of corruption investigations when he came to power in 2012. ‘Economic crimes’ still carry the death penalty and in the past two years, over 300,000 officials have been punished – including ‘Red Prince’ and Politburo member, Bo Xilai
