China's president slammed "conspiracies" in the ruling party Wednesday, saying corruption and election fraud had undermined the country's governance and that a tighter ideological grip on its leaders was needed.
Xi Jinping's strongly-worded statement followed a meeting in Beijing last week of hundreds of the party's elite, who declared him the "core" of China's leadership and pledged to reform "norms for political life".
Since Xi took power in late 2012, the Chinese Communist Party has fought an all-out war on corruption.
Party mouthpiece the People's Daily published two documents Wednesday detailing the four-day meeting's decisions, along with a commentary by Xi.
"A handful of senior Party officials, overcome by their political cravings and lust for power, have resorted to political conspiracies by working with ostensible obedience, while forming cliques to pursue selfish interests," he wrote.
"Nepotism and election fraud have endured," he said, adding that "power abuse, corruption as well as legal and disciplinary violations have been spreading."
In his comments, Xi made special reference to several toppled officials punished for corruption, including former security czar Zhou Yongkang, who state media has previously accused of plotting to challenge the country's leaders.