Hu: China must fight official corruption

BEIJING, Jan. 14 (UPI) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao says the Communist Party must continue to crack down on corruption within the country's government.

Hu Tuesday spoke to a session of the party's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, its internal anti-corruption body, telling party officials they need to maintain their political integrity, especially at a time of more difficulties and hardships for common people, Xinhua, the state-run Chinese news agency, reported.

Urging them to build on an anti-corruption crackdown begun in 2007 that has resulted in the arrests of 4,960 officials above county head level, Hu called on the Communist Party's discipline organs to fight power abuse, graft, bribery and misconduct, and promised 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," Xinhua quoted Hu saying. "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."