China's Communist Party will not cede control of efforts to fight graft, the government said on Wednesday, effectively ruling out independent courts tackling a problem it has said is so severe it could threaten party rule.
The party has repeatedly vowed to stamp out corruption, a major source of public discontent as the booming economy gives officials opportunity to use their power for private gain.
"The Communist Party is the ruling party in China, and thus efforts to combat corruption and build a clean government are under the leadership of the party," the government said in a 39-page policy document.
Critics say the fight against graft is hampered by the lack of an independent judiciary, which answers firstly to the party, and officials are not held accountable to an electorate by an independent media, which is also tightly controlled.