BEIJING, Jan. 13, 2009 (Xinhua) -- Hu Jintao, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, on Tuesday urged the Party's anti-corruption body to "firmly correct official wrongdoings" that harm public interests.

Addressing a plenary session of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), the ruling Party's internal anti-corruption body, Hu said Party officials should maintain their political integrity and lead the people to overcome difficulties amid hardships.

Hu Jintao, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, addresses the third plenary session of the 17th CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 13, 2009. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang) Photo Gallery>>>

The CPC committees, governments and the Party's discipline organs at all levels had maintained a rigorous crackdown on all forms of corruption since the Party's 17th National Congress in 2007, said Hu, also Chinese president.

He called on the Party's discipline organs to focus on power abuse, bribery and misconduct, pledging that no corrupt officials would be allowed to escape punishment.

"We should be fully aware that the fight against corruption needs long-term, complicated and tough efforts," said Hu.

"In the anti-corruption efforts, we should also pay attention to both punishment and prevention and achieve effects to earn trust from the people and provide solid assurance for reform, development and stability," he said.

ATTACH IMPORTANCE TO PARTY MEMBER'S INTEGRITY

Hu said that in the face of complicated and changing international situations and domestic reforms, the integrity of officials at all levels was vital to keep steady economic growth and social harmony.

Officials' integrity and honesty would determine their behavior at work and off duty, Hu said. Officials should consciously adhere to socialist core value judgments as well as the Party's basic theories and policies.

Self-discipline and supervision must be relied on to cultivate clean and dedicated model leaders and the discipline organs should conduct unremitting education on virtue and morality, Hu said.

To realize the objectives, he urged the CCDI to carry out more education and supervision of Party officials, and ensure against abuse of authority.

Supervision and inspection should also be promoted and implemented in major decision making and deployment in accordance with the scientific outlook on development, Hu said.

The disciplinary organs should also push harder on investigations to corruption cases and deal with corruption problems in most high-risk departments or governmental affairs, he added.

Hu emphasized six aspects in the Party's anti-corruption work for immediate concentration:

-- Party officials should always ask the people for political advices, basic needs and suggestions for resolving social problems, and try harder to take practical measures to tackle public difficulties.

-- Officials should make more efforts to learn Party theories and policies and increase their capabilities to deal with complex situations by applying theory to practice.

-- Officials should always remember their duties and responsibilities endowed by the Party and people, and fulfill their assignment with more devotion.

-- Officials should hold a correct concept of political achievements by respecting and seeking truth in their work.

-- Officials should always prioritize people's interests and refrain from seeking personal gains or furthering their own interests.

-- Officials should maintain the Party's solidity and unity, and strictly abide by Party rules and regulations. They also should increase economic awareness to frugally conduct all undertakings.

Hu urged Party committees at all levels to regard strengthening education on integrity and honesty for officials as an important task in managing the Party by strict rules.

He also encouraged the Party's self-discipline organs to bravely fight all forms of corruption and illegalities, calling on Party committees to support anti-graft work.

Statistics from the commission showed that 4,960 officials above county head level were punished nationwide during the year ending last November.

The session was presided over by He Guoqiang, head of the CCDI. At present were other senior CPC officials Wu Bangguo, Wen Jiabao, Jia Qinglin, Li Changchun, Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang and Zhou Yongkang.

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Source: Xinhua