Measuring corruption

Many Chinese officials earn an "unofficial" income. This can be determined with the help of data on real estate purchases and income. On average, the higher an official's rank, the higher their income, even in relation to their official salary. High-ranking officials sometimes earn many times their salary in this way, i.e., through corruption. And the proportion of officials with "unofficial" income increases with rank.

Last updated: 24. July 2025