In the first 11 months of 2003, 30, 823 corruption and bribery cases were filed for investigation and  prosecution, a drop of 2.2 percent over the same period in 2002,  involving 33,666 suspects, according to figures released Thursday  by the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP).

Zhao Dengju, deputy procurator-general of the SPP, told a  symposium on preventing official crime here Thursday that  corruption cases in China had declined on the whole, thanks to the improvement of legal system and the nation's anti-corruption  efforts.

In 2003, China's procuratorial organs took a series of measures to prevent official crimes in key industries and departments,  including encouraging government purchasing, enhancing inter-party supervision, and ordering governments and departments at all  levels to open up to the media, thus promoting transparency.

"These measures sweep away the breeding ground for corruption,  ensuring clean and efficient government," Zhang said.

In 2003, 12 provincial or ministry-level officials were  punished, including former Party secretaries of Hebei and Guizhou  provinces, Cheng Weigao and Liu Fangren, former Yunnan Governor Li Jiating, former Anhui vice-governor Wang Huaizhong, and former  Minister of Land and Natural Resources Tian Fengshan.

 The blacklist also includes Wang Xuebing, former president of  China Construction Bank, and Tian Fengqi, president of the  Liaoning Provincial Higher People's Court.

Experts said this showed the determination of the new  generation leadership to fight corruption and change the  bureaucratic system.

Zhao said that preventing official crimes was an important  strategy in fighting corruption, and will be greatly strengthened  in 2004.

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