Xinhua was entrusted by the State Council to publish "The Statute on the Punishments against Illegal Financial Activities" Thursday, which was signed by Premier Wen Jiabao.

The decree, the No. 427 Decree of the State Council, contains 35 clauses, and it will go into force on February 1, 2005, to replace, consequently, a similar, temporary decree of the State Council.

The decree empowers financial and auditing departments at county-level and higher to deal with all kinds of illegal financial activities involving the use of government money.

Source: Xinhua