No Pauses on the Path to a Clean and Honest Administration

Just as outside observers begin wondering whether the Communist Party of China (CPC) has lost its anti-graft momentum, the deprivation of Ling Jihua"s CPC membership and the fall of a provincial Party chief once again display the determination to build a clean and honest administration.

The CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) on Friday announced Zhou Benshun, Party chief of north China"s Hebei Province, is under investigation for suspected "severe violation of laws and discipline."

Unlike Su Rong and Bai Enpei, who had retired from the office of provincial Party chief when being investigated, Zhou became a shamed incumbent provincial Party chief since the 18th CPC National Congress held in late 2012.

Apart from Zhou, Beijing"s neighboring province has already witnessed the probe of two senior leaders in the past year.

In contrast with the high-profile drive by top graft-busters, local authorities sometimes fail to show their resolve to weed out corruption, with some not taking the fight seriously and brushing problems under the carpet.

CCDI"s new round of crackdowns in Hebei is a good example for other provinces, sounding the bell for local officials still maintaining a speculative mentality that they should lie low until the anti-graft drive is over before returning to old ways.

The handling of Zhou"s violations fully showcase the determination of the CPC Central Committee to uphold Party discipline and maintain socialist rule of law.

The unprecedented fight against depraved officials in the Party, government, military and state-owned enterprises is continuously gaining momentum and will clamp down on more officials willing to take chances.

The CPC leadership has made it clear that the long anti-corruption campaign is never a matter of expediency, but a persistent and effective approach to achieve the ultimate goal of an incorrupt government.

"Strict discipline" are not empty words. No exception, no matter how high or low his or her current or past official status, will be allowed in the graft crackdown.