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Net 'major force' in monitoring corruption

By Wang Linyan (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-03-26 09:03

A top anti-corruption expert yesterday said that corrupt officials should be wary of the eyes behind the Internet, for the online community is set to become a major force in curbing corruption.

"Whistle-blowers have proven that the Internet is a great tool to help expose corruption," Lin Zhe, a professor at Party School of the Communist Party of China's Central Committee told Guangzhou Daily.

She added, however, that the government must take measures to regulate online behavior to protect personal rights.

Related readings:  'Web vital in corruption fight'  Chinese 'paper tiger' photographer stands trial  Corruption top issue for public

Premier Wen Jiabao on Tuesday called for tougher measures to prevent corruption and punish corrupt officials to provide "solid support" to reform and social stability this year.

Wen told officials at a conference on "clean governance to increase vigilance", to "regulate the use of power, tackle persistent problems that harm people's interests and improve the system to prevent corruption".

Lin said that recent corruption cases involved high-level officials and an increasing amount of money.

She maintained the government is determined to fight the social evil.

Procurator-General of the Supreme People's Procuratorate Cao Jianming said in his work report to the annual session of the National People's Congress in early March that, prosecutors investigated 41,179 people involved in 33,546 corruption and dereliction of duty crimes, with 33,953 people prosecuted, last year.

The numbers of people involved are up 1 percent and 10.1 percent compared with 2007.