Premier Li vows reform to curb corruption

BEIJING - Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday pledged to further streamline administration and promote transparency of government affairs to fight against corruption.

Li made the remarks while presiding over a meeting held by the State Council, or China's cabinet.

He called on government officials to learn the spirit of President Xi Jinping's anti-graft speech at the third plenary session of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, which closed on Wednesday.

Li said the task to streamline administration and delegate power to lower levels should be given priority in the government's efforts to deepen reform and build a clean government.

He pledged to make public information about the government's financial budgets and statements.

The premier stressed zero tolerance to corrupt officials and promised to seriously punish any breach of the "eight-point" anti-bureaucracy and extravagance-busting guidelines announced by the central authorities.

China's top prosecutor Cao Jianming also urged procuratorial organs at all levels to learn the spirit of Xi's anti-graft speech while presiding over a meeting held by the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) on Wednesday.

Cao, procurator-general of the SPP, called on procuratorial organs to work out specific measures for the implementation of a five-year (2013-2017) plan on building a system to punish and prevent corruption, issued by the CPC Central Committee on December 25.