Guangdong gets tough on economic crime

GUANGZHOU - The Guangdong provincial government has mapped out a plan to crack down on economic crimes including monopolizing, counterfeiting and commercial bribery, officials said at a conference in the provincial capital on Thursday.

The crackdown, meant to create a favorable market environment and maintain normal market order, is urgent because the province is in a critical period transforming and upgrading its economy, said Wang Yang, Party chief of Guangdong.

"Monopolizing, counterfeiting and commercial bribery are the 'cancer' of the economy," Wang said, adding that the criminal activity damages social stability, threatens people's lives and property and is hated by the public.