Senior officials, state firms, fugitives to be anti-graft priorities in 2015

BEIJING - China's top corruption eradication authority on Wednesday put forward seven priorities for 2015, including tighter scrutiny of senior officials and intensified efforts to track down corrupt fugitives hiding abroad.

A former high-ranking official on run arrives at Beijing Capital Airport on Dec 22, 2014, after he turned himself in to the police. [Photo/Website of Central Committee for Discipline Inspection]

A communique, issued after the fifth plenary session of the Communist Party of China's (CPC) Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), which ended on Wednesday, listed the priorities as follows:

The top task for 2015 will be the tightening up of internal management and ensuring central leadership policies are implemented. The CCDI demanded that senior officials "toe the line" and that cronyism, fakery and sycophancy would not be tolerated.

All state-owned enterprises (SOEs) under the care of the central government will be subject to inspections and supervision will be tightened on SOEs across the board.

The heads of Party and government departments, and state-owned enterprises will be held accountable for any serious corruption cases that happen under their charge.

The rooting out of harmful working practices, including abuse of public money and bureaucracy, will continue.

Officials in key positions who use their influence in infrastructure projects and public land deals, embezzle state-owned assets, or buy and sell government posts will face serious penalties.

Disciplinary inspection organs will strengthen international cooperation in the hunt for fugitive officials and asset recovery.

The CCDI will build a loyal, clean, responsible discipline inspection team. Incompetent inspectors will be replaced and those who look the other way would be punished.

The session, which was attended by 125 CCDI members, reviewed and passed a report presented by Wang Qishan, the CCDI chief. President Xi Jinping also addressed the assembled members, which included many senior Chinese leaders, about the country's corruption eradication efforts.

The session evaluated that the achievements of 2014 were made possible thanks to the Party's firm leadership, joint efforts by all Party organizations and members, the public's support and the hard work of discipline inspectors.

The communique said the campaign required political composure, restraint and patience, but stressed that it was not just a "whirlwind campaign" and efforts should not spur "mass movements" that disturb social order.

"The anti-corruption campaign should continue forward steadily, step by step," the document said.

Combatting corruption needs the support and participation of the public and more "positive energy" from the public and media would be of great benefit.

Acts of defiance toward countercorruption measures and actions that spark intense public criticism will be "cleaned up", the document went on.

China's fierce anti-corruption campaign in 2014 saw a number of high profile cases that shocked the country, including Zhou Yongkang, former member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee; and Xu Caihou, former vice chairman of the Central Military Commission.

According to the CCDI, cases involving 68 high-level officials are under investigation or have been closed.

A total of 71,748 Chinese officials were punished in 2014 for violations of the eight-point anti-graft rules.