Corruption cases drop in 2003 ( 2004-01-08 21:53) (Xinhua)
In the first 11 months of 2003, 30, 823 corruption and bribery cases were
filed for investigation and prosecution, a drop of 2.2 percent over the
same period in 2002, involving 33,666 suspects, according to figures
released Thursday by the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP).
Zhao Dengju, deputy procurator-general of the SPP, told a symposium on
preventing official crime here Thursday that corruption cases in China had
declined on the whole, thanks to the improvement of legal system and the
nation's anti-corruption efforts.
In 2003, China's procuratorial organs took a series of measures to prevent
official crimes in key industries and departments, including encouraging
government purchasing, enhancing inter-party supervision, and ordering
governments and departments at all levels to open up to the media, thus
promoting transparency.
"These measures sweep away the breeding ground for corruption, ensuring
clean and efficient government," Zhang said.
In 2003, 12 provincial or ministry-level officials were punished,
including former Party secretaries of Hebei and Guizhou provinces, Cheng
Weigao and Liu Fangren, former Yunnan Governor Li Jiating, former Anhui
vice-governor Wang Huaizhong, and former Minister of Land and Natural
Resources Tian Fengshan.
The blacklist also includes Wang Xuebing, former president of
China Construction Bank, and Tian Fengqi, president of the Liaoning
Provincial Higher People's Court.
Experts said this showed the determination of the new generation
leadership to fight corruption and change the bureaucratic system.
Zhao said that preventing official crimes was an important strategy in
fighting corruption, and will be greatly strengthened in
2004.
