Supervise your families and staff, Hu tells officials

President Hu Jintao Thursday asked leading officials of the Communist Party of China (CPC) to exercise strict self-discipline and strengthen supervision over their families and staff.

"Leading officials at all levels, especially high-ranking officials, must readily observe the code of conduct on clean governance and report all important matters," Xinhua quoted Hu as saying in a keynote speech at the opening of the CPC's 18th National Congress.
"They should both exercise strict self-discipline and strengthen education and supervision over their families and their staff; and they should never seek any privilege," Hu said.

The CPC should ensure that strict procedures are followed in the exercise of power, and tighten oversight over the exercise of power by leading officials, especially principal leading officials, he said.

China was rocked by a major scandal involving disgraced politician Bo Xilai. A Chinese court Aug 20 sentenced his wife Bogu Kailai to death with a two-year reprieve for murdering British citizen Neil Heywood.

Bo was accused of taking advantage of his position to seek profits for others and received huge bribes personally or through his family. His position was utilised by his wife to seek profits for others, and the Bo family accepted a huge amount of money and property from others. He was also found to have violated organisational and personnel disciplines and made erroneous decisions in certain promotion cases, resulting in serious consequences, Xinhua had earlier reported.

Hu said combating corruption and promoting political integrity, which is a major political issue of great concern to the people, is a clear-cut and long-term political commitment of the Party.

"If we fail to handle this issue well, it could prove fatal to the party, and even cause the collapse of the party and the fall of the state," he said.

Hu said the CPC must make unremitting efforts to combat corruption, promote integrity and stay vigilant against degeneration.

The CPC should deepen reform of key areas and crucial links, improve the system of anti-corruption laws, prevent and manage risks to clean government, avoid conflict of interests, prevent and fight corruption more effectively and in a more scientific way, and increase international anti-corruption cooperation, he said.

According to Hu, the CPC must maintain a tough position in cracking down on corruption at all times, conduct thorough investigations into major corruption cases and work hard to resolve problems of corruption that directly affect the people.

"All those who violate party discipline and state laws, whoever they are and whatever power or official positions they have, must be brought to justice without mercy," he said.