Supervision Law shatters illusion accountability expires on retiring

In recent years, retired officials such as Liu Qixiang, Xu Xianping and Luo Jiafu have been successively investigated by disciplinary and supervisory authorities for irregularities they committed while in office. This sends a clear message that China’s anti-graft efforts know no limitations and retirement is not a “safe haven”, nor does it come with an “immunity period”.

Septuagenarian Liu Qixiang, a former judge of Jiangsu High People’s Court, was held accountable years after he retired, shattering the illusion of “the law not punishing the elderly”.

Xu Xianping, former deputy head of the National Development and Reform Commission, was investigated less than two years after his superannuation. He told an anti-corruption documentary, “How interesting the world is — only after retiring did I realize I had completely let myself go, with no sense of discipline or law in my mind.” This reflects a common issue among some retired officials: a relaxation of their ideological defenses.

Luo Jiafu, former deputy head of the Yunnan provincial department of education, was investigated a decade after retirement, further dispelling the misguided belief that “power expires when one retires”.

These cases reveal that there is no automatic “reset” upon retirement and accountability continues even after office.

For a long time, there was a misconception that retirement marked the “end” of a political career and that “unused power is wasted”, leading some to attempt one final illegal gain before retiring. For ex-officials, retirement is a time to relax and enjoy their later years, but only if it is a “clean retirement”.

The Supervision Law has institutionally put an end to the fantasy of “immunity after retirement”. It grants supervisory authorities the power to investigate suspected duty-related violations or crimes, including corruption, bribery, dereliction of duty, or abuse of power, without setting any time limit. This means that as long as evidence exists, supervisors can lawfully initiate probes regardless of how much time has elapsed.

Moreover, illegal gains such as real estate equity, or financial products obtained through corrupt means — even if they have been transferred to others through nominal holdings or other methods — will be confiscated, recovered or ordered to be returned.

Liu, Xu, and Luo will surely not be the last retired officials to be investigated. Their cases affirm that the fight against corruption is by no means an empty slogan. For every Party member and official, integrity is the baseline of public service and the cornerstone of a secure life.

Only by consistently upholding discipline and rules, exercising power without committing irregularities while in office, and maintaining self-discipline after retirement can an official truly attain peace of mind and stability.