Senior Chinese leader urges continued anti-graft efforts

BEIJING -- China's top graft buster has called for persistent anti-corruption efforts to clean up the Communist Party of China (CPC) and boost people's faith in the Party.

The remarks by Wang Qishan, secretary of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, were carried in a statement released Thursday after he presided over several symposiums in preparation for the sixth plenary session of the 18th CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection next week.

Praising last year's anti-corruption results, Wang said, "The people have increasing confidence in the CPC and the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics. The political foundation for the CPC's governance is more profound."

"The strict management of the Party doesn't only mean punishing the paucity of corrupt people. It requires supervision and cleaning of the entire Party, with the participation of all Party members," Wang stressed.

He urged Party members, especially leading officials, to keep a firm sense of discipline.

Discipline inspection departments were told to be brave in pursuing the liabilities of corrupt CPC members.

But he also sounded a note of clemency in saying that officials guilty of relatively minor misconduct should be given opportunities to reform. "Talking heart to heart with officials whose problems have been exposed is a warning as well as our care for them... letting them trust and rely on our organization and maintain their loyalties."