Wang Qishan highlights Party discipline in anti-corruption effort

HANGZHOU -- As the countercorruption campaign shifts up a gear, anti-graft chief Wang Qishan vowed to "awaken the awareness of discipline and rules among Party members".

Wang, head of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), made the remarks during an inspection trip to coastal Zhejiang Province that ended on Sunday.

Wang also pledged to enhance institutional innovation and let discipline and rules take the lead in the anti-graft campaign.

Recalling the beginning of China's fight against foreign aggression in 1840, the founding of the CPC in 1921 and the founding of the nation in 1949, Wang said the CPC must continue to lead the great renewal of the nation, adding that the strict governing of the Party was a precondition of ensuring the success of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

He said Party discipline was stricter than the law.

"To comprehensively strictly govern the Party, we must make discipline a ruler and the bottom line that can not be crossed by Party members."

Wang said that revisions to Party regulations on disciplinary penalties should separate Party rules from legal provisions while comprehensively advancing rule of law.

Wang also urged graft-busters to take the lead and weed out corrupt officials "like a woodpecker".

During his trip, he also went to the site where the CPC convened its first national congress, visited local enterprises and talked with Party cadres and common people.