Supplementary Draft Directive of the Central Committee on the Separate Handling of Small and Medium-Sized Corrupt Officials, Together with Mao Zedong’s Explanatory Notes Thereon (February 9, 1952)  I. To all Central Bureaus and Sub-bureaus, with further transmission to provincial, municipal, and district party committees, as well as to regional military party committees and the Party Committee of the Chinese People’s Volunteers; also to all-level military area party committees and corps-division party committees:  In view of the fact that small and medium-sized corrupt officials whose illicit gains do not exceed 10 million yuan account for 95 to 97 percent of the total number of corrupt individuals and that this phenomenon has considerable mass character, the Central Committee has decided that, apart from those whose offenses are serious and who should be subject to criminal penalties, those whose offenses are less severe should generally be exempted from criminal prosecution and instead receive administrative sanctions of varying degrees from their employing organizations, so as to demonstrate strictness. Moreover, those who have consistently performed well in revolutionary work but have occasionally committed minor acts of corruption may even be spared administrative punishment. Furthermore, there are certain cases that border on corruption yet, in light of the actual circumstances, cannot truly be classified as such; such instances should not be treated as corruption. Under these provisions, it is estimated that more than 85 percent of small and medium-sized corrupt officials will be exempted from criminal prosecution—that is, they will not be sent to court nor sentenced to imprisonment—receiving only administrative sanctions, which will facilitate efforts to win over, educate, and reform this group, thereby promoting both the Three-Anti Campaign and the ongoing construction work.

With regard to the types of administrative sanctions, in addition to the four already prescribed by the Central Committee—dismissal, demotion, transfer, and reprimand—a fifth category, namely warning, is hereby added, bringing the total to five. It is anticipated that many minor offenders—for example, those whose illicit gains are below 500,000 yuan and whose offenses are not serious—will require nothing more than a simple warning.

As for those whose corrupt activities involve sums under 10 million yuan and who are thus exempted from criminal prosecution, if they are members of the Communist Party or the Communist Youth League, the Central Committee has not yet reached a definitive conclusion on how to handle their party or league membership. We therefore request that you submit your views, based on your experience in dealing with corrupt elements during the Three-Anti Campaign, so that the Central Committee may consider them.

With respect to all individuals who are to be subjected to criminal penalties, the Central Committee has already issued a notice mandating their immediate expulsion from the Party and the Youth League; please ensure strict compliance.

Regarding corrupt officials whose illicit gains exceed 10 million yuan—the so-called “big” and “medium-sized tigers”—their cases should likewise be categorized according to the severity of their offenses into death penalty, death penalty with reprieve, life imprisonment, various terms of fixed-term imprisonment, and exemption from criminal prosecution in favor of administrative sanctions. The Supreme People’s Court of the Central People’s Government provided guidance on this matter during its trial on February 1 of seven major corrupt figures.

Printed by the CPC Central Committee on February 9, based on Mao Zedong’s manuscript.

II. Comrades Liu, Zhu, Zhou, Chen, Peng Zhen, Lin Biao, and Nie Rongzhen [1]: The primary purpose of this document is to add the sanction of warning to the existing range of administrative penalties, so as to reduce resistance among the majority of minor corrupt officials and promote unity and rehabilitation. Please review and advise whether this is appropriate. Printed by Mao Zedong on February 9, based on his manuscript.

Notes [1]: Liu refers to Liu Shaoqi. Zhu refers to Zhu De. Zhou refers to Zhou Enlai. Chen refers to Chen Yun, who at the time served as Secretary of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee. Peng Zhen was then an alternate member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and deputy director of the Central People’s Government’s Commission for Economy and Inspection. Lin Biao held the post of vice chairman of the People’s Revolutionary Military Commission. Nie Rongzhen served as acting chief of staff of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army.  Reply Telegram to Gao Gang [1] Concerning His Report on the Northeast Tiger-Hunting Plan (February 9, 1952)