Wen calls for fight against corruption

Premier Wen Jiabao yesterday urged tougher measures for preventing and punishing corruption to provide "solid support" for further reform and social stability this year, the most difficult for economic development since the turn of the century. Wen told a conference on clean governance that corruption in certain fields is still rampant and told officials to increase vigilance, regulate the use of executive power, tackle persistent problems that harm people's interests, and improve the system to punish and prevent corruption. He has earlier said a clean government is most important for social stability.