No 'exclusion area' for intra-Party supervision: anti-graft chief

HOHHOT, July 4 -- China's anti-graft chief on Friday said discipline inspections were a "health check" on the body of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and no "exclusion areas" or exceptions exist.

Wang Qishan, secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the CPC, made the remarks during a visit to north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

Wang heads the CPC Central Committee's inspection leadership ground and sees discipline inspections as a "Sword of Damocles" hanging over those in power.

Discipline inspection, an obligation of the Party's constitution, is the CPC's approach to self-discipline and being strict with its own members, Wang said.

"The anti-corruption fight remains grave and complicated," Wang warned, urging more regular inspections at the local level.

Positive effects of inspections have already been seen. In 2013, 10 teams of inspectors visited 20 provincial governments, state-owned enterprises and public institutions, and came back with important information that helped bring down a number of corrupt officials.

Wang urged inspectors to be committed to discovering malpractice, to put forward constructive suggestions and to solve problems.

Follow-up measures should be made public and be open to supervision from the Party, the public and the media, Wang said.