Premier Wen Jiabao said on Wednesday that the government will redouble its anti-graft efforts this year.

At the State Council's third meeting on clean governance, Wen noted that progress had been made in the fight against corruption in 2004. This year, the government will focus on establishing a system that puts equal emphasis on punishment of crooked officials and prevention of corruption.

Eight major areas have been targeted for improvement in the year ahead.

Policy-making concerning major issues will be reformed and improved by incorporating group decision-making, professional consultation and assessment, public hearings and a responsibility system.

Administrative licensing will be further reformed. Administrative permit procedures will be simplified, and existing regulations will be streamlined and refined.

Reform of the financial management system will accelerate, with emphasis on budget-based management in government departments. Both the scope and scale of government procurement will be expanded.

Supervision of government spending will be improved, with control over major projects and sectors such as transportation and urban construction strengthened.

Supervision of state assets will also be strengthened, especially of state-owned financial institutions.

Land acquisition procedures will be strictly enforced and oversight of land leasing improved.

A responsibility system for administrative law enforcement will be established to enhance control and clarify officials' rights and obligations.

Government transparency will be improved to ensure the right of the people to know what it is doing, especially in such areas as schools, hospitals, water, electricity and gas supply, and public transportation.

Work safety must be strengthened to safeguard the lives of the people, the premier stressed.

In reviewing progress in 2004, Wen cited the payment of land acquisition compensation to farmers, of salaries in arrears to construction workers and of resettlement allowances to people displaced for urban construction.

Advances were also made in enterprise reorganization and bankruptcy procedures, as well as in revamping and streamlining administrative licensing.

Wen noted that unreasonable education charges were rectified to some extent, as were arbitrary fees and taxes imposed on farmers.

(Xinhua News Agency February 17, 2005)