China’s Hu calls on Communists to stop corruption, reform party

CHINA: President Hu Jintao called on Communist Party leaders on Friday to stamp out rampant corruption and do a better job of managing China’s ruling party as they marked the 85th anniversary of its founding.

“Anti-corruption and building a clean government are an important strategic mission. We cannot slack off for one moment,” Hu said in a nationally televised speech to hundreds of leading party figures at the Beijing compound where Chinese leaders live and work.

Hu called on China’s communists to “enhance our abilities to govern the party.” However, the 90-minute speech included no announcement of any new reform initiatives.

China has punished thousands of officials in a multiyear campaign to clean up graft and abuses that are threatening to undermine acceptance of communist rule. But communist leaders have given no indication that the scale of offenses is diminishing.

Many critics blame China’s inability to stop corruption on the ruling party’s monopoly on power and refusal to allow outside scrutiny of its activities, which can shield corrupt officials from punishment.

Hu’s government has rejected public appeals for more openness by the 70.8 million-member party, jailing activists who call for democratic change.

Hu’s address came a day after the government announced that a deputy commander of China’s navy was stripped of his military post and a seat in parliament for taking bribes, becoming one of the most senior military figures punished for corruption.

The government hasn’t released details of the charges against Vice Adm. Wang Shouye. But such a case against a senior member of China’s politically active military is rare.

Also Thursday, two other members of parliament were stripped of their posts for economic offenses.

Last year, Chinese authorities investigated 8,490 government officials, including eight ministerial-level leaders, for corruption, the government’s Xinhua News Agency reported Thursday. It said nearly 2,000 were convicted in court.

Beijing, Friday, AP