SMU Associate Professor of Political Science John Donaldson commented on the issue of corruption among officials in China, after almost 37,000 officials were investigated for corruption in China last year. On whether top-ranking officials were being prosecuted, Associate Prof Donaldson said that Chinese leader Xi Jinping still needs support from his faction, and we will know this is a qualitative change if the investigations start to include people who are close to him. On the motive for Xi Jinping’s tough stance on corruption, Associate Prof Donaldson believes Xi Jinping as two goals – to create the perception among the Chinese people that the party can police itself so that the people do not lose confidence in the party and to strengthen his own position. Responding to the question on whether increasing the officials’ salaries would fix the problem, Associate Prof Donaldson is of the opinion that “something more fundamental has to happen.”