A deputy to China's top legislature Monday said an anti-corruption law plus independent anti-graft authorities will improve efficiency and effectiveness in the country's fight against corruption.

Zhou Hongyu, a deputy to the 10th National People's Congress from central China's Hubei Province, told the reporters that the lack of a comprehensive legal network targeting corruption is largely to blame for the climbing number of bribery, public fund appropriation and other graft cases in China.

"A specific law on anti-corruption and an independent anti-graft network that reports directly to the parliament will constitute a legal basis for China's fight against corruption," said Zhou.

"It's also advisable to set up independent auditing and self reporting systems to keep civil servants from corruption," said Zhou.

Meanwhile, he said China should step up with international cooperation and take international practice into consideration in its fight against corruption, because corrupt officials are very likely to transfer their illicit money abroad.

(Xinhua News Agency March 7, 2005)