'No mercy' for corrupt officials

China's top court has pledged to mete out harsher punishments to government employees and officials found guilty of corruption.

The Supreme People's Court issued a circular on the criminal policy of judicial leniency and harshness yesterday, detailing crimes that deserve harsh or lenient punishments.

Sun Jungong, the spokesman for the Supreme People's Court, told reporters that the latest policy aims to "crack down on serious crimes".