Anti-Corruption Probe in the Home Stretch

It's always hard to tell what is going on behind the scenes, but the "stalemate" referenced by Xi is hopefully the anti-corruption campaign's last hurdle.

Xi's 'shockingly harsh' Politburo speech signals tensions over anti-graft crackdown

”[I] had left life and death, as well as my personal reputation, out of consideration in the combat against corruption,” Xi said, according to Changbaishan city’s party chief, Li Wei.

Li said the top leadership’s remarks emphasised a sense of crisis, and some of the words were “shockingly” sharp and harsh. However, he did not provide more details.

"We have to take the responsibility since the party and the country had put their fate in our hands,” the president was reported to have said.

Xi said “the two armies of corruption and anti-corruption are in confrontation, and are in a stalemate”, according to Li, adding that the leadership vowed to see the anti-graft campaign to the very end.

.....The president also rebuked the “school of thought” that the relentless drive against errant officials would only plunge the country in chaos and that Xi, in the end, would “eat humble pie”.

This is why the mini-stimulus was launched. Economic weakness hardens the opposition.