China has dispatched eight groups of inspectors across the country to investigate misconduct of senior government officials and leaders of large financial institutions in a renewed campaign to promote government transparency, China's disciplinary watchdog said on Tuesday.

Gan Yisheng, secretary-general of the Communist Party of China (CPC)'s Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, said at a press conference that the focus of five of the groups will be on the inspection of governmental departments in China's provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities.

"So far, they have conducted initial inspections in 30 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities, and are engaging in the second round of checkup in those regions which have already been inspected," Gan said.

Two inspection groups targeting financial institutions have completed checkups of nine banks under the administration of the central government and are currently inspecting the insurance sector, according to Gan.

A special group was designated to inspect the country's key state-owned enterprises, Gan added.

The inspectors are mainly from the CPC's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the Organization Department of the CPC central committee.

The inspection aims to better monitor local officials and leaders in their "implementation of the policies set forth by the central government... the building of the Party's work style and a clean government" and "the enforcement of cadre and personnel system" in a bid to combat corruption, according to the commission.

The campaign has proved to be "effective" and "problems have been detected," Gan noted, though he did not provide details of the problems.

(Xinhua News Agency September 27, 2006)