Corruption fight gains momentum under new leadership

BEIJING - Authorities confirmed with Xinhua on Thursday that Li Chuncheng has been removed from the position of deputy secretary of the Sichuan Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) for suspected "serious discipline violations."

Li is the most senior official to be sent packing in a recent bout of sackings related to graft charges.

At least 10 local officials have fallen in sex or corruption scandals since a new CPC leadership was elected last month.

The reasons for their downfalls range from leaked sex videos to exposes of their suspiciously expensive watch collections, as well as other disciplinary or law violations.

In south China's Guangdong province alone, four officials at prefecture level have been under investigation since the end of November.

The province announced last week it will launch a pilot program requiring local officials to disclose their assets, as well as those of their relatives, to a certain amount of people, unprecedented in China.

The intensified fight against corruption shows the country's endeavor to fight official wrongdoing, which has already seen real actions instead of empty slogans.

The new leadership has made its anti-corruption stance clear as the Party has warned that corruption could lead to "the collapse of the Party and the fall of the state."

Related stories:

CPC bureaucracy-busting efforts to be scrutinized

Xi repeats anti-graft message to top leaders

CPC to put work style up for public scrutiny

CPC watchdog orders anti-graft strengthening

Guangdong launches anti-corruption pilot project

CPC pledges unremitting efforts to combat corruption