More than 60 officials at the ministerial and provincial levels have been punished for discipline violations since the Party's last national congress.

The high-level officials were among 600,000 people who faced punishment for violating Party and government discipline since the 17th National Congress of Communist Party of China in 2007, according to a statement from the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection on Thursday.

More than 200,000 were turned over to prosecutors for breaches of law, the CCDI statement said.

One of them was former railway minister Liu Zhijun, who was expelled from the CPC after being investigated for corruption in May. His case has been handed over to judicial departments.

Early this month, Liu Zhuozhi, former vice-chairman of the Inner Mongolia autonomous region's government was convicted of taking bribes and sentenced to life in prison.

Jiang Hui, research fellow with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told Xinhua that the country's leadership has paid great attention to anti-corruption campaigns over the past 10 years.

In a keynote speech in July 2011, President Hu Jintao warned that corruption was one of the growing dangers confronting the Party and it has become more important and urgent for the Party to police itself and impose strict discipline on its members.

The CPC started large-scale efforts to curb corruption about two decades ago, and in the past decade, efforts have been stepped up, said Li Xueqin, head of the CCDI's research division.

CCDI launched several special campaigns targeting problems, such as excessive overseas travel funded by government, bribery in the contracting of construction projects, securities and assets that should be listed in accounts but were not, Li said.

By 2011, the CCDI investigated about 21,000 graft cases after inspecting more than 425,000 government-funded construction projects across the country, and exposed more than 60,000 "small coffers" leading to punishment of more than 10,000 officials.

The Party also quickly responded to cases that drew loud public complaints, such as those related to workplace safety, food safety and pollution incidents, Li said.

Over the past five years, more than 700 officials were punished for their responsibility in workplace accidents.

Great efforts have been made to improve systems to prevent corruption and restrict the power of officials, Li said.

Over the past decade, discipline inspection agencies have begun supervision and inspection of related departments and officials, he said.

Citing the Beijing Olympic Games and Shanghai Expo as examples, he said inspectors were sent to supervise the preparation of the events from the beginning.

"Checking departments and officials in charge of major projects has become a regular form of supervision," Li said. "Such precautionary measures have proved more effective than handing down punishments when damage has been done."

"The battle against corruption will be tough and tedious but with persistent efforts, the future will be bright," Li said.

(China Daily 07/27/2012 page3)