China highly values international cooperation in the drive against corruption, a senior Chinese leader said in Beijing Monday.

Wu Guanzheng, secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Communist Party of China (CPC), said China is willing to enhance cooperation with other countries and regional and international organizations to combat corruption on a basis of equality, mutual benefits, respect of differences and emphasis on efficiency.

Wu made the remarks when meeting with a delegation from the Parliament of Sweden, which is headed by Goran Lennmarker, chairman of the Standing Committee on Constitutional Affairs.

Wu, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, said China believes international cooperation is extremely important in the fight against corruption.

According to the Supreme People's Procuratorate, public procurators investigated more than 41,000 public servants on charges of graft, bribery taking and power abuse in 2005. Now government watchdogs are focusing on busting criminal cases of commercial bribery.

Wu said China is striving to address the corruption problem at its root. The country is establishing a system to punish and prevent corruption, with equal emphasis on education, regulations and supervision.

Lennmarker said Sweden is willing to expand exchanges with China on supervision and prevention of corruption and support China's drive to build a clean government.

This is the third trip Lennmarker has made to China. The delegation will also visit Guizhou in southwest China and Shanghai, an economic hub on the eastern coast.

Source: Xinhua