The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on Monday announced that local officials found guilty of buying votes in Party elections have been severely punished.

This was announced by the commission at a joint press conference on Monday.

The officials, including Lei Yingquan, former head of investment division of the Finance Department under the Sichuan Provincial People's Government, Shao Jianwei, former director of the Public Security Bureau of the Linfen City, Shanxi Province, Wu Bao'an, former secretary of the Yicheng County Committee of the CPC, Shanxi Province, Yin Liming, deputy magistrate of the Lianghe County, Yunnan Province, have been severely punished in line with national and Party laws for buying or selling official posts.

"Corruption can shake and undermine the CPC's ruling foundation and capacity," said Wu Jiang, president of the Chinese Academy of Personnel Science in an interview with Xinhua.

Liu Xirong, deputy secretary of the commission, said that officials who are found to have acquired official posts through illegitimate means will be criticized and punished and will be demoted and will lose further promotion prospects.

Officials in charge of supervising discipline who fail to report any wrongdoing will also be punished.?

Liu also stressed that officials who are found selling or buying official posts or who are involved with any other illicit activities relating to promotions will be discharged from their post and could face prosecution.

(Xinhua News Agency January 24, 2006)