CRI听力:CPC Steps up Fight against Corruption

The CPC's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection has put forward seven priorities for fighting corruption in 2015, including tighter scrutiny of senior officials and intensified efforts to track down corrupt fugitives hiding abroad.

The top task will be the tightening up of the Party's internal management and supervision with new rules and regulations.

Professor Zhu Lijia with the Chinese Academy of Governance believes the CPC is moving to address the root causes of corruption.

"To root out corruption, an effective mechanism must be established to control, manage and supervise the power of officials. The Party has done a great deal of work in creating a strong sense of deterrence for those who tend to be corrupt. What we need next is a system under which officials cannot and would not abuse their power."

Another key priority of this year's fight against corruption will target major state-owned enterprises, as more than 70 senior SOE officials were put under graft-related investigation last year.

Inspectors will be sent to all major SOEs while supervision will be tightened across the board.

Professor Zhu says the move is in the right direction.

"As most SOEs provide basic public services such as water, power, and gas, how well they are managed will directly affect people's daily lives as well as the public's trust in the government. Reining in the abuse of power by SOE officials will be significant in the fight against corruption. We should focus more on the SOEs in order to achieve greater results in the fight."

The CPC's anti-corruption body is also vowing to strengthen international cooperation in the hunt for corrupt fugitives and asset recovery, following the successful Fox Hunt operation in 2014 which saw nearly 700 fugitives being brought back to face justice.

Last year, China's fierce anti-corruption campaign saw a number of high profile cases that shocked the country, including former security chief Zhou Yongkang, military leader Xu Caihou and political advisor Ling Jihua.

Nearly 72 thousand officials were punished for violations of the eight-point anti-graft rules.

For CRI, I am Qi Zhi.