Combating corruption

So far this year a powerful spy chief, the Nanjing party secretary and a top diplomat have been placed under investigation.

This suggests there will be no let-up in the campaign that has run relentlessly for two years under President Xi Jinping. So let's take stock of what's happened so far.

On 20 November 2012, soon after becoming Communist Party leader, Mr Xi made a speech.

"Lots of facts tell us that corruption is becoming more and more rampant, and eventually, the party and the country will fall. We have to be vigilant", he warned.

Since then, Mr Xi - who hails from a revolutionary family and is tasked with keeping the party in power - appears to have propelled his anti-corruption campaign forwards with zeal.

And he famously promised to "catch both tigers and flies", making it clear that top ranking officials would not be spared.

 Cracking China's corruption:Huge hauls and long falls