More than half the respondents to a recent survey expressed satisfaction over the Party and government's increased efforts to fight corruption in 2003.

The number has been climbing steadily since the Research Department of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Party's Central Committee started the annual survey in 1996.

During that first year, the rate was 32.8 percent. In 2000 it was 42 percent and by 2002 the number had climbed to 48.2.

Conducted recently, the survey polled 12,000 respondents in 10 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions including Beijing and Sichuan.

About 60 percent said the government has already stepped up iron-fisted measures to curb corruption, which was regarded "still serious" by Party chief Hu Jintao.

Still, half of respondents are not satisfied with the situation.

The construction industry, public security departments, procuratorates, courts and education and personnel departments are the areas where respondents had most complaints.

In the survey, 32.2 percent said corruption was the area they most cared for, following 51.4 percent who placed employment as their top concern and 34.7 percent who pointed to social security.

That number was higher than the 31.5 percent who raised the question of medical insurance and 28.8 percent who focused on education of the young.

"I would be with the other half who are not so satisfied," Lin Yueqin, a researcher with Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told China Daily.

Lin said the government's iron-fisted efforts have brought dozens of high-profile officials to justice.

"Some nodded because of the effort; but I care more about an efficient system that can topple unqualified officials," said Lin.

"We need some in-depth reforms of the current administrative and supervision system among the government and the Party."

He said not enough progress has been made in this regard.

China's grave situation of corruption has captured the attention of China's highest authorities.

Hu vowed recently that the Party will investigate any hint of corruption and punish those who are guilty.

In the first 11 months of last year, some 38,000 indictments for crimes committed by officials were filed by procuratorial organs.

Crimes by officials in areas like finance, real estate, construction project bidding, land-use rights acquisition and material purchasing will be the focus of the 2004 anti-corruption campaign, said Jia Chunwang, procurator-general of the Supreme People's Procuratorate.

Jia called on the country to continue its crackdown on crimes committed by officials, as they remain significant.

(China Daily January 28, 2004)