BEIJING, May 12 -- With the probe of Wei Jian, an official with the disciplinary watchdog of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the Party has, once again, made it clear that the anti-corruption drive allows no exception.

Wei, director of the No. 4 office of discipline inspection and supervision under the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), is under investigation for suspected serious violations of disciplines and laws, the CCDI said on Friday.

Prior to Wei's case, the commission last month announced that Shen Weichen, a former senior official with the China Association for Science and Technology and member of the 130-strong CCDI, was being investigated.

It may be somewhat ironic that an official, whose duty is to supervise and investigate others' violations, is himself under investigation for wrongdoing.

However, it serves as a note of caution that China's anti-corruption campaign is facing a rather complicated situation as decadence is reaching more spectrums and groups, a fact that must not be underestimated.

Discipline supervisory authorities have long been regarded as a "blind zone" for the anti-graft cause, as inspectors are the ones who confront the problem directly and are supposed to be more resistent to corruption.

However, it should also be admitted that the supervisors themselves are no infallible saints, and they may also be caught in external seductions or personal lapses. If given a free rein, the anti-graft supervisory power will also become a source of corruption.

Therefore, supervisors should be put under supervision as well.

The fundamental solution is to restrain all kinds of power in the cage of regulations, and as the regulations should be applied to all, they will also regulate the supervisors.

Moreover, the regulations must be strictly observed and enforced, and there should be no sanctuary to any violators, no matter who they are.

The cases of Wei and Shen have revealed that the CPC is resolved to enforce such regulations, and it is also capable of doing this.

In March, the CCDI announced it would set up a new division tasked with supervising discipline inspection officials.

Last month, CCDI member Zhang Jinan said the commission was working to improve its internal mechanism, establishing a complete system for its own staff's management and regulating inspectors with "iron disciplines".

Such measures also indicated the CPC's confidence that facing up to the problem of profligate disciplinary inspectors will not undermine the watchdog's authority but will promote public trust in it.

Together with the CCDI's self-discipline is the commission's increasing openness to the outside.

In addition to the timely release of news on investigations of suspected violators, the CCDI has also set up a special section on its website to receive reports from the public.

Over the past eight months, a total of 74,049 cases, including those regarding suspected violations by disciplinary supervisors, have been reported through the platform.

It can be expected that strict regulations, combined with self-discipline and properly-wielded public and media supervision, can act as the cage that ensures honest exercising of all powers.