The Information Office of the State Council issued a white paper, titled "China's Efforts to Combat Corruption and Build a Clean Government," on Wednesday.

It is the first time since 1949, when the People's Republic of China was founded, that China has told about its anti-corruption efforts to the world in the form of a white paper, and it has great significance, said Li Chengyan from Beijing University.

It shows China is demonstrating its political situation to the world with a more open attitude. China is telling the world of its road to combating corruption and building a clean government as well as its prospects, Li said.

Meanwhile, it also shows China is aware that building a clean government at home must be connected with the international anti-corruption struggle. Only when the world understands China's efforts will China and the other countries have better exchanges and cooperation, thus promoting the further development of world anti-corruption work.

After five years of efforts, the basic framework of China's punishment and prevention system has been formed, said He Zengke, director of the Institute of Contemporary Marxism at the Central Complication and Translation Bureau.

The white paper says people's support and participation are the basis of the success of anti-corruption and building clean government. Various social groups, news media agencies and the public played an important role in making proposals and monitoring.

Web governance and Internet monitoring show the Party and the government pay more attention to people's opinions.

The issuance of the white paper also shows China, after more than 30 years of reform, has more confidence in developing its own anti-corruption methods and has no need to copy the Western pattern.

From 2003 to 2009, the people's procuratorates at all levels investigated more than 240,000 cases of embezzlement, bribery, dereliction of duty and infringement of rights, according to the report.

The white paper also states that in the 21st century, the focus of anti-corruption drives has been shifted to investigating and dealing with cases in which leading cadres take advantage of their control over personnel affairs, judicial powers, the right to administrative examination and approval, and right to administrative law enforcement to act in collusion with lawbreaking businessmen, trade power for money as well as solicit and take bribes.

Anti-corruption efforts also now focus on cases in which leading cadres provide protective shield for underworld and criminal forces, cases of serious infringement on the interests of the people and cases of corruption that cause mass disturbances and major accidents due to negligence.

By Liang Jun, People's Daily Online