A screen grab from CCTV shows Zhou Yongkang waiting to hear his sentence at a Tianjin court on Thursday. (Photo/CHINA DAILY)
Zhou Yongkang was sentenced to life imprisonment Thursday for accepting bribes, abusing his power and deliberately disclosing state secrets, the latest and most powerful footnote to the Party's commitment to the rule of law.
Zhou, 73, was deprived of his political rights for life and had his personal assets confiscated, according to the verdict of Tianjin Municipal No. 1 Intermediate People's Court.
The court heard his case on May 22. Involving disclosure of state secrets, Zhou's trial was held behind closed doors. Zhou pleaded guilty and will not appeal.
Zhou was formerly a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and secretary of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the CPC Central Committee.
So far the most prominent official taken down by the country's anti-corruption drive, Zhou's trial was a symbol of the CPC's commitment to the rule of law.
The People's Daily, the CPC newspaper, applauded Zhou's trial and conviction in its editorial.
"There are no privileged members in front of CPC discipline. There is no privileged citizen in front of the law," the editorial read. "No matter how much power one holds or how high one's position, one will surely be severely punished for violating Party discipline and state laws."
Since taking office in late 2012, the current CPC leadership has taken anticorruption as a "life-or-death matter" for Party and country. The campaign has boosted people's confidence in, and support for, the Party.
Zhou's case not only shows the Party's courage in facing up to weakness and disciplining itself, but is a strong warning to those in power. Only by staying alert to temptation can an official refrain from crossing the line of integrity.
The fundamental purpose of anticorruption is to modernize governance and realize the rule of law. No one will be allowed to go above the law nor to disrupt its implementation.
This is not the end of the battle against corruption. With willingness from both the Party leadership and its ordinary members, with the endorsement of the people and support from the legal system, the country is sure to win the fight.
