Hong Kong Chief Executive Tung Chee Hwa pledged Sunday that the government, as always, will give full support to Hong Kong's anti-corruption cause and that he is confident that Hong Kong will continue to be clean.

He made the remarks at the Hong Kong Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) 30th Anniversary Charity Walk held at Wu Kai Sha Sunday morning.

Tung said the "world's anti-corruption capital" is a hard-won reputation for Hong Kong and that he believed that the ICAC will be able to do an even better job.

He said the remarkable achievements of the ICAC over the past 30 years are there for all to see, and there has been increasing international prestige in recent years. Last year Interpol hailed Hong Kong as "the anti-corruption capital" of the world.

Tung said ICAC fights corruption on the three fronts of investigation, prevention and education -- a strategy of world acclaim.

Various international surveys have rated Hong Kong today as one of the least corrupt places not only in Asia but in the world.

Hong Kong has continued to be perceived as the second least corrupt place in Asia in this year's Corruption Perception Index released on Oct. 20 by Transparency International.

Tung said the people of Hong Kong take pride in this reputation and he urged the continuous support of the community.

He said that more than 90 percent of ICAC cases are reported by members of the public, adding "we may say that without public support, there would not be today's ICAC, and Hong Kong would not be today's 'anti-corruption capital'."

(Xinhua News Agency November 7, 2004)