China has built or expanded more than 200 special detention facilities across the country to support President Xi Jinping’s sweeping anti-corruption campaign, CNN reports. The detention facilities, known as “Liuzhi” centers, are designed to hold suspects for up to six months without access to legal counsel or family visits.
Since coming to power in 2012, President Xi has prioritized tackling corruption and tightening control over the Communist Party and the military. Now in his third term, his anti-corruption campaign has become a defining feature of his leadership, extending beyond party lines to public institutions.
Liuzhi, codified in 2018, replaces the controversial “shuanggui” system, which was criticized for abuses and torture. The centers have padded surfaces, 24-hour guards, and surveillance cameras to monitor detainees. They target not only Communist Party officials but anyone exercising “public power”, including officials, civil servants, and managers of public institutions. Businessmen suspected of bribery may also be detained. High-profile cases include billionaire investment banker Bao Fan and former football star Li Tie, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison for corruption.
Between 2017 and November 2024, more than 218 Liuzhi centers were built or expanded, with construction accelerating after the pandemic.
Critics argue that the extended detention system enables abuse of power and coerced confessions. A lawyer who represents officials in corruption cases told CNN that detainees often face threats, torture and extreme psychological pressure. “Most people succumb to pain,” the lawyer said.
In one case, a former officer, Chen Jianjun, claimed that during six months of detention he suffered sleep deprivation and was forced to sit for 18 hours straight a day. His account, shared by his daughter, includes drawings depicting the harsh conditions on toilet paper.
Authorities have established standard construction rules for Liuzhi centres, along with a national plan to build these facilities between 2023 and 2027. The centers are designed to prevent detainees from harming themselves, with features such as padded walls and anti-slip surfaces.
Critics have warned that local anti-corruption agencies could abuse their power to detain businessmen on false charges of bribery. In a now censored article, economist Zhou Tianyong called for reforms, arguing that such practices could harm China’s economy.
Proposed amendments to the national supervision law have sparked controversy. It orders investigators to follow “lawful, civilized and standardized” interrogation practices but ignores Liuzhi’s demand for access to legal counsel during detention. The amendment also proposes to increase the maximum detention period from six to eight months.
