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Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signs the golden book as he meets Norway’s king on October 20, 2026, at the Royal Palace in Oslo. (Getty Images)
The unprecedented anti-corruption campaign launched by Communist Party Chief Xi Jinping in late 2012 shows, among other things, that a kleptocracy has taken root inside the Chinese state and economy. While the campaign has provided more detailed information on the scope and depth of corruption in China, the origins and characteristics of this new type of kleptocracy remain poorly understood.
Using data collected from more than 100 corruption cases involving multiple party and government officials, Minxin Pei argues this kleptocracy originated two decades ago when elites in the Chinese party-state, private businesses, and organized crime colluded to loot state-owned assets. The effects of such looting and collusion go beyond the illicit enrichment of a small number of elites. Pei contends that they are the underlying forces causing the decay of key institutions in the Chinese party-state.
On November 21st, Hudson Kleptocracy Initiative (KI) hosted a discussion moderated by KI Executive Director Charles Davidson on the sources and implications of China’s kleptocracy.
Related Events
12
November 2026
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
From Dependence to Resilience: Financing a Secure Pharmaceutical Supply Chain
Featured Speakers:
Caroline Vik
Maryll Toufanian
Nick Snyder
12
November 2026
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
From Dependence to Resilience: Financing a Secure Pharmaceutical Supply Chain
Join DFC Chief Policy Officer Caroline Vik and Amneal Pharmaceuticals Senior Vice President Maryll Toufanian for a conversation moderated by Senior Fellow Nick Snyder. The discussion will examine America’s strategy to secure pharmaceutical supply chains and the work ahead for policymakers and industry as they pursue sustainable solutions in a complex market and policy environment.
Featured Speakers:
Caroline Vik
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13
November 2026
In-Person Event | Invite Only
The Future of US-Japan Cooperation in a Competitive World: Economic Security and Strategy
Featured Speakers:
Nick Snyder
Hiroyuki Nakashima
13
November 2026
In-Person Event | Invite Only
The Future of US-Japan Cooperation in a Competitive World: Economic Security and Strategy
Join Japan Bank for International Cooperation Senior Managing Director Hiroyuki Nakashima and Senior Fellow Nick Snyder for a conversation on the state of the US-Japan relationship, the links between economic cooperation and national security, and the opportunities and challenges ahead for the alliance.
Featured Speakers:
Nick Snyder
Hiroyuki Nakashima
18
November 2026
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Rebuilding the Arsenal of Freedom and Reindustrializing America
Featured Speakers:
Congressman Mike Rogers
Nadia Schadlow
18
November 2026
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Rebuilding the Arsenal of Freedom and Reindustrializing America
Join House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (AL-03) for a fireside discussion with Senior Fellow Nadia Schadlow on Congress’s role in revitalizing America’s defense industrial base.
Featured Speakers:
Congressman Mike Rogers
Nadia Schadlow
19
November 2026
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Peace Through Strength: How Reagan’s Military Buildup Won the Cold War
Featured Speakers:
Roger Zakheim
Nadia Schadlow
19
November 2026
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Peace Through Strength: How Reagan’s Military Buildup Won the Cold War
Join Hudson Institute for a conversation with Senior Fellow Nadia Schadlow and Roger Zakheim, director of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute, to discuss Peace Through Strength and what President Reagan’s buildup can teach US policymakers today.
Featured Speakers:
Roger Zakheim
Nadia Schadlow
Related Research
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British Chancellor of the Exchequer John Healey leaves 11 Downing Street carrying the traditional red budget box ahead of presenting the Labour government's 2026 Autumn Budget to the House of Commons in London, United Kingdom, on October 28, 2026. (Getty Images)
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Construction of the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Arizona semiconductor manufacturing complex in Phoenix, Arizona, on February 1, 2026. (Getty Images)
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Shipping containers are seen in the Port of Montreal in Montreal, Quebec, on August 23, 2026. (Getty Images)