Editor's note: The Information Office of the State Council released a white paper on Dec 29 on China's efforts to combat corruption and build a clean government. Following is the full text:

Preface

Corruption is a socio-historical phenomenon, an inveterate global ailment and an issue of great concern to the general public. It is the firm stance of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese government to combat corruption and build a clean government.

The CPC and the Chinese government have been resolutely combating corruption and building a clean government since the founding of the People' Republic of China on Oct 1, 1949. Since the adoption of the reform and opening-up policy some 30 years ago, especially since the beginning of the 21st century, China's social productive forces have been developing at a high speed, with the overall national strength notably increasing and the people's living standards greatly improving. China's international status and influence have been enhanced remarkably, and great achievement has been made in the socialist construction of economy, politics, culture, society and ecological civilization.

In combating corruption and building a clean government, China adheres to the principle of addressing both the symptoms and the root causes of corruption, and taking comprehensive measures to rectify both, combining punishment with prevention while focusing on the latter.

It has set up a system for corruption punishment and prevention and attached special importance to the rectification of the root causes and prevention of corruption and institutional improvement in combating corruption. It is trying to broaden work areas to prevent corruption at the source and gradually build a long-term mechanism of education for corruption prevention, a system of combating corruption and building a clean government, and a monitoring mechanism over the exercise of power. A new way of combating corruption and building a clean government that conforms to China's national conditions and displays Chinese characteristics has taken shape.

So far, China's effort to combat corruption and build a clean government, which is managed systematically and promoted comprehensively, has yielded notable results. In the course of carrying out this work intensively, the interests of the State, the general public and citizens have been effectively protected, the situation for reform, development and stability has been constantly consolidated, and great strides have been made toward a strong, prosperous, democratic, harmonious and culturally advanced modern socialist state.

As dramatic changes have been taking place in China's economic system, social structure, the pattern of interests, and people's ideas and concepts, various social contradictions have become increasingly prominent. Since the relevant mechanisms and systems are still incomplete, corruption persists, some cases even involving huge sums of money. Breaches of law and discipline tend to be more covert, intelligent and complicated. The situation in combating corruption is still very serious, and the tasks are still abundant.

The CPC and the Chinese government always keep a clear vision of the long-haul, complicated and arduous nature of the undertaking of combating corruption and building a clean government. They will continue to follow the overall plan to establish and perfect the system of punishment and prevention of corruption, resolutely punish and effectively prevent corruption with more resolutions and powerful measures, so as to win the people's confidence with actual achievements in the anti-corruption campaign.