A top Chinese official on Friday said the country still faces a grave situation in the fight against corruption, which requires more intensive anti-graft campaigns among officials.

He Guoqiang, secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, told a seminar here that the party's discipline inspectors should work harder to investigate and deal with corruption cases.

They must also increase education campaigns among party members and officials to prevent corruption, he said.

"It is hard to eliminate hotbeds for corruption in a short period, given the fact that China will stay at the preliminary stage of socialism for a long time," he said.

"We must have a clear vision on this," he added. "The anti-corruption situation will remain grave and complicated."

He said the CPC is determined to fight against corruption and has made key plans accordingly.

Anti-graft officials should increase supervision and inspection work as the country was making large-scale investments to boost economic growth, which could create hotbeds for corruption, according to He.

Similar efforts should be made in the process of land requisition for construction, environmental protection and distribution of disaster relief funds and materials, he said.

The seminar was convened to commemorate the CPC's decision 30 years ago to restore the status of its Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, which stopped functioning during the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976).

He said through 30 years of efforts, the CPC had formed a workable framework of discipline inspection, which had greatly contributed to anti-corruption work and national development.

(Xinhua News Agency December 6, 2008)