Xi calls for more anti-corruption efforts despite achievements   

习近平反腐新讲话十余次提“规矩” 专家称向治本发力

Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, delivers an important speech at the fifth plenary session of the 18th CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 13, 2015. (Xinhua/Li Tao)

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday warned the war on corruption was far from over, despite the country's many achievements.

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, was speaking at a key meeting during the fifth plenary session of the 18th CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), which opened Monday.

Other members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee -- including Premier Li Keqiang, top legislator Zhang Dejiang, top political advisor Yu Zhengsheng as well as Liu Yunshan and Zhang Gaoli -- attended the meeting, together with many other senior officials. CCDI chief Wang Qishan presided over the meeting.

ANTI-GRAFT EFFECTIVE, CHALLENGES REMAIN

Xi evaluated the countercorruption drive in 2014 as "effective", saying the work was as a matter of life-or-death for the Party and the nation.

He acknowledged that the Party had fought corruption with "a strong sense of responsibility [and] a deep commitment to its mission."

The CPC had taken a zero tolerance stance when dealing with corrupt members, making sure no one was above sanctions and that government officials "dare not, can not and do not want to [be] corrupt".

Xi praised the CCDI for its achievements in 2014, saying that undesirable work styles were being addressed and discipline enforcement had been supported by more frequent inspections.

The Party had invested greater efforts to treating the root causes of corruption and the discipline inspection system had been improved, Xi added.

The CPC had dealt with cases implicating corrupt high-ranking officials -- such as Zhou Yongkang, Xu Caihou, Ling Jihua and Su Rong -- which showed the world that the CPC was not scared of taking a "self-purifying" approach, according to Xi.

However, he warned, more work must be done to truly cure the ills of corruption.

Misconduct may have abated but had not vanished, he said, and although countercorruption mechanisms had been developed, they were not perfect and temptations still existed.

Xi concluded that the task of reshaping China's political environment should always be in motion.

Nevertheless, he said, with inter-Party cooperation and the people's utmost support: "We will win the fierce and protracted war against corruption and build a clean Party and government."

Gao Bo, deputy secretary-general of the Clean Government Studies Center under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences said that Xi's speech reflected his confidence in the country's overall countercorruption measures.

He understands what has been achieved and what has not, and his vow on zero tolerance now sets the bar even higher, Gao said.

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