CPC’s governing capacity win worldwide praise

BEIJING, July 1 (Xinhua) — On the occasion of the 94th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC), foreign experts and scholars spoke highly of the party’s governing capacity and efforts in the fight against corruption.

Mohamed Abdel-Wahhab al-Saket, a former Arab League ambassador to China, said the CPC’s glorious achievements have drawn worldwide attention.

In its over 90 years’ history, CPC has led Chinese people in accomplishing two historic missions — national independence and economic prosperity, elevating China’s international status and national strength to a level higher than ever before, he said.

He said that since Xi Jinping assumed the post as general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, the party has focused on two main tasks.

“The first is to deepen comprehensive economic reforms under the slogan ‘economic new normal.’ It includes promoting new high-tech industries and eliminating outdated ones, simplifying administrative examinations and approvals to stimulate market vitality, establishing several free trade regions to enlarge opening to the outside world, etc,” al-Saket said.

“The second is to harshly crack down on corruption under the slogan ‘eliminating tigers and flies together,'” he added.

Besides, he said, the CPC is also undertaking institutional reforms to establish a long-term anti-corruption mechanism, and strengthening international cooperation to catch corrupted officials who have fled overseas.

“By taking these anti-corruption measures, CPC has increased its popularity among Chinese people and consolidated its ruling foundation,” al-Saket said.

Yakov Berger, a senior researcher with the Institute of Far Eastern Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, said strict orders and discipline are the core of the forceful management and supervision of the CPC.

Fruitful results over the past two to three years in the CPC’s fight against corruption showed the determination of the party leadership to fight corruption, he said.

Igor Denisov, a senior researcher at the Center for East Asia and Shanghai Cooperation Organization Studies at Moscow State Institute of International Relations, said all authorities and administrative departments in China, including sensitive institutions of the military and security department, are involved in the anti-graft struggle.

He said effective national administration is decided, to a large degree, by the effective supervision of officials at any level by the CPC.

China is on its way to root out corruption and ensure the lawful and effective enforcement of any kinds of rules, he said.

Zheng Yongnian, director of the East Asian Institute in Singapore, said the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012 has brought the issue of anti-corruption to a new height and China’s new leadership also put the issue on top of its agenda.

Via the whistle-blowing website opened by the disciplinary body of the CPC, ordinary citizens can easily report corrupt officials, and within the party there is also a top-down approach against corruption, Zheng said, noting that the corruption probe regarding the military has enjoyed great support.

The approach China has taken to fight graft is not only unique but had resounding impact, and China’s zero tolerance to corruption has offered crucial lessons for Kenya, said Paul Kamau, a senior research fellow at the Institute of Development Studies, University of Nairobi.

Samuel Kimeu, head of the Kenyan branch of Transparency International,said the renewed anti-corruption fight in China is obviously commendable and China has inspired the world by “taking the bull by the horns.”

The aggressive hunt for corrupt fugitives demonstrates China’s unwavering strong stance against graft, he said.