The State Council Information Office released a white paper titled China's Efforts to Combat Corruption and Build a Clean Government on December 29, 2010. This was the first time China had given a comprehensive and systematic account of the persistent efforts of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese Government to eliminate corruption and enhance governmental integrity since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, especially since reform and opening up began in 1978.

"It is the firm stance of the CPC and the Chinese Government to combat corruption and build a clean government," the white paper said. These efforts have a great bearing on China's national development, the fundamental interests of the overwhelming majority of the Chinese people, social equity, justice, harmony and stability. It is the consistent stand of the CPC and the Chinese Government to punish and prevent corruption and to build clean government.

Since the adoption of the reform and opening-up policy, especially since the beginning of the 21st century, China has taken measures to combat corruption and build a clean government in keeping with the principles of "addressing both the symptoms and the root causes of corruption, taking comprehensive measures to rectify both, and combining punishment with prevention while focusing on the latter."

China has put in place a system for punishment and prevention of corruption. While holding corrupt officials accountable, it attaches great importance to the rectification of root causes of corruption, as well as corruption prevention and institutional improvement. It is trying to intensify efforts to prevent corruption at the source. It is also committed to building a long-term education mechanism for corruption prevention, a system for combating corruption and building a clean government, and a monitoring mechanism over the exercise of power.

"A new way of combating corruption and building a clean government that conforms to China's national conditions and displays Chinese characteristics has taken shape," the white paper said.

China's efforts to combat corruption and build a clean government have been "managed systematically and promoted comprehensively" and yielded notable results, it said. Thanks to these efforts, the interests of the state, the general public and citizens have been effectively protected. Progress in reform, development and stability has also been consolidated. Moreover, great strides have been made toward "a strong, prosperous, democratic, harmonious and culturally advanced modern socialist state."

As dramatic changes take place in China's economic system, social structure, and people's thinking patterns, various social problems have become more prominent than ever. Since relevant mechanisms and systems are still incomplete, corruption persists. In some cases, staggering sums of money are involved. Moreover, breaches of law and discipline are tending to be more covert, elusive and complicated. Corruption remains a daunting challenge, and the task of combating corruption is still heavy.

"The CPC and the Chinese Government always keep a clear vision of the long-haul, complicated and arduous nature of the undertaking of combating corruption and building a clean government," the white paper said.

While improving the system for corruption punishment and prevention, they will continue to penalize and prevent corruption with greater determination and increasingly powerful measures, it said. All this aimed to win the people's confidence with concrete achievements in the anti-corruption campaign.