Watchdogs warn against 'circle culture' in CPC

Some hobby-based cliques turned into channels for offering, accepting bribes

China's top anti-corruption watchdogs have reiterated opposition to cliques and political and interest groups within the Communist Party of China, calling for all Party members to be vigilant about avoiding such organizations.

The CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and National Commission of Supervision, which serve in tandem as the nation's top anti-corruption watchdogs, restated their opposition to cliques on their website on Tuesday after a former high-ranking official, accused of seriously violating Party discipline and the law, was placed under investigation.

On April 19, Chen Yiguo, former Party chief and chairman of the Hubei Changjiang Publishing and Media Group, was expelled from the CPC and dismissed from public office after it was discovered that he supported what is referred to in China as "circle culture".