Premier Wen Jiabao is vowing more resolute anti-graft measures during his last year in office, according to an article to appear today in the party's mouthpiece magazine, Seeking Truth.
The timing of the article has prompted speculation that corruption charges may be brought against the disgraced former party chief of Chongqing, Bo Xilai.
Official agency Xinhua ran a preview summary of the report yesterday. In the piece, titled 'Let the power be exercised under the sunshine', Wen stresses that anti-graft measures must be given a 'more prominent position' in the government's work this year, and he urges the government to be more open to the public's monitoring.
Wen said 2012 'is the last year of this government, and we must not be slack in our work. [We must] deepen reform and strengthen the construction of our system'.
Concrete measures that Wen mentions include deepening reforms in relation to the administrative approval system, marketisation of public resources, the fiscal management system, administrative expenditure and the general financial management of administrative bodies and state-owned enterprises.
While fighting corruption has long been a mainstay of Wen's policy, mainland analysts said the appearance of the article at this time could also have something to do with the Bo saga, as it is rare for mainland leaders to write directly under their own names, even in state media.