What I think it is, is that the high pay is enough money for them. With so much money, they do not need to turn to bribery and corruption to get more money, right?

"In China, corruption is the common link between state-owned banks doling out billions of dollars to cronies; land grabs by local government officials; and the negligence that killed 40 people in a high-speed rail crash last July."

Doling: to distribute, usually in small amounts or sparingly.

In this context, banks are distributing money to cronies (which are essentially, good or close friends). This shows that banks are giving money away, not to anyone, but to their close partners.

Haha. Thanks Dylan!

"Its government workers pad their paltry, sporadic pay by demanding bribes for everything from birth certificates to school grades."

Paltry: Small or meager.
Sporadic: Irregular.

In this context, it means that the government workers are paid very little (paltry) and they get paid irregularly (sporadic). Thus with this little pay, they accept all bribes for virtually everything and anything.