'Graft could destroy China'

China's parliamentary leader, Li Peng, has warned that the Communist Party and even the Chinese nation itself face destruction unless corruption is rooted out.

Mr Li pledged on Friday to step up the fight to build a clean government in his address to the annual session of China's parliament in Beijing.

Mr Li's former deputy Cheng Kejie was executed last year

He was speaking on the eve of the release of reports to the assembly, expected to highlight last year's major corruption cases.

The Chinese Government has made fraud and embezzlement by senior officials a major target over the past few months.

Seven people were sentenced to death a week ago for their role in a massive export tax fraud

And last month, China executed seven of the 18 officials who have been sentenced to death for their part in a $6bn smuggling ring in Fujian province.

Laws

A combination of market reforms and weak laws have helped corruption flourish during the 1990s.

"Historical experience shows that power free from control and supervision will lead inevitably to corruption," Mr Li told the National People's Congress (NPC), China's parliament.

"We face destruction of our party and destruction of our nation if we fail to fight corruption and promote clean government."

Mr Li told delegates, gathered in Beijing's Great Hall of the People, that the anti-corruption campaign would be taken into consideration when passing new laws.

And he promised a law to tighten up supervision over the exercise of power.

Mr Li also said the NPC would intensify efforts to wipe out the outlawed Falun Gong spiritual movement and continue blocking Taiwan's attempts to break out of diplomatic isolation.