CPC to maintain high pressure on corruption

For those questioning whether the Communist Party of China (CPC) is serious about its anti-corruption drive, the growing number of officials under punishment has shown the party's zero-tolerance to such wrongdoing.

Four court officials in Shanghai were suspended from their posts last week and investigated after alleged hiring of prostitutes at a nightclub.

Last month, a township-level CPC official in north China's Hebei Province was fired after an investigation showed he spent 200,000 yuan (about 32,400 U.S. dollars) on a wedding banquet for his daughter, a move deemed unacceptable under China's ongoing anti-extravagance campaign.

These cases of low-level officials, or "flies" as they have been labeled, were followed by the the public prosecution of Bo Xilai, former CPC chief of southwest China's Chongqing Municipality.

Other high-level officials, or "tigers," including Liu Zhijun, former railways minister, Liu Tienan, former vice minister in charge of the National Development and Reform Commission, and Li Chuncheng, former deputy chief of the CPC's provincial committee of Sichuan, have also had investigations opened against them and, in Liu Zhijun's case, even been sentenced to suspended death penalties.

The treatment of these officials is indicative of the CPC's resolve to sniff out every corrupt pheromone, punish every guilty official and constantly eliminate the soil which breeds graft, so as to earn people's trust with actual results.

The CPC, representing the fundamental interests of the people, will never be soft on corruption and its vows of "restricting power by the cage of regulations" will not be empty talk.

The CPC regards its fight against corruption as necessary for the survival of both the party and the country, as graft has jeopardized social stability and blocked the country's developmental progress.

The 25-member Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee played an exemplary role in June by meeting to relay criticisms and self-criticisms to fight undesirable work styles.

Besides the top leadership's efforts, it will be implementation by tens of thousands of local government officials that will ensure victory in the war against corruption.

As the world's largest ruling party is looking to ensure stricter discipline, no official should expect to dodge punishment for corruption.

The CPC's cracking down upon both "tigers" and "flies" has already been recognized and supported by the Chinese public.

Just as the CPC's leadership has vowed to hold any and all violators accountable, a fierce public campaign has also been launched on the Internet.

Authorities have investigated online accusations and brought several officials to justice based on submitted evidence. The positive response to the exposure of corruption through new media signifies that the leadership is attaching importance to the public anti-corruption efforts.

The party is expected to unveil more specific and long-term measures against corruption to constantly uphold its ethics and keep its members clean and accountable.