Diplomats invited to CPC briefing

The recently concluded 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the pledges made by senior leaders demonstrate the Party's determination and capability to intensify future Party building and tackle pressing problems, such as corruption, foreign diplomats based in Beijing said on Tuesday.

"China's new leaders are very experienced. I'm sure they will resolve the problems and challenges facing the Chinese people in a very effective way," Cypriot Ambassador Ioanna Malliotis told China Daily.

She made the remarks after a news briefing held by the International Department of the CPC Central Committee in Beijing on Tuesday. Three senior officials from the CPC Central Committee's Organization Department and Publicity Department, and the CPC's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection were invited to brief the foreign diplomats and answer their questions.

The diplomats asked questions about Party building, as well as intra-Party democracy and transparency, and had discussions with the speakers.

In answering a question from Finnish Ambassador Lars Backstrom on what steps the Party is taking to fight corruption, Cui Shaopeng, standing committee member of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, said the Party is strengthening its supervision of the conduct of officials to effectively fight corruption.

"We attach great importance to public scrutiny and media supervision, especially from new media and the Internet," he said.

The Party is dealing with the issue of corruption very seriously, said Backstrom.

"I think the Chinese Communist Party is moving in the right direction, and the central government and local governments at all levels are becoming more transparent," he told China Daily.

"The corruption issue is quite significant and it's a basic issue in every country. The emphasis that China attaches to anti-corruption is good for its future development," said Rianne van Vuuren, political adviser at the South African embassy.

The CPC has a very good tradition of reviewing its past achievements and drawing lessons from them, said Cuban Ambassador Alberto Jesus Blanco Silva.

"It is very important to make sure it continues to move forward," he said.

"China is an important factor to contribute to world peace," he said.

The diplomats also raised questions on environmental issues, international cultural exchanges, and China's role in the world.

Contact the writers at qinzhongwei@chinadaily.com.cn and dengzhangyu@chinadaily.com.cn