Trust chains and the resilience of patronage networks: The use of indirect guanxi under anti-corruption

This study investigates how anti-corruption campaigns reconfigure patronage networks in China. Ethnographic findings show frequent leadership turnover compels cadres to rely on indirect guanxi for protection and promotion. Under pressure, networks consolidate into resilient ‘trust chains’—tightly knit sequences of high-trust dyadic ties reinforced by norms like renqing and yiqi. These chains are fortified by tactics such as embedding allies in inspection bodies or deploying scapegoats. Consequently, guanxi functions less as simple trust and more as ‘trust chain’ that secures benefits. The analysis reveals how cultural and institutional factors mutually reproduce corruption, suggesting that only sustained high-pressure campaigns paired with structural reform can disrupt this cycle.