马凯：严重腐败现象是山西省的毒瘤

Vice-Premier Ma Kai (L) attends a meeting of Shanxi delegates during the two sessions, March 5, 2017. [Photo/Beijing Youth Daily]

Shanxi should be insistent and persistent in its campaign against corruption, a top leader said on Thursday. The serious corruption seems like a cancer in Shanxi, Vice-Premier Ma Kai said at a meeting of Shanxi delegates during the two sessions.

两会期间，国务院副总理马凯在参加山西代表团的会议中说道，严重的腐败现象是山西身上的毒瘤。

"If we don't clear it up, it will result in poor selection of officials and great harm," he said. "Shanxi is conducting a sweeping anti-corruption drive with historical significance, which is necessary and regarded as a matter of life and death for the Party and nation."

他说：“如果腐败不清除，必然是一种逆向、错误的干部任用导向，危害十分巨大。当前正在深入开展一场具有历史意义的反腐败斗争，实践证明这是完全必要的，事关党和国家的生死存亡。”

After taking the helm of the Party at the 18th Party Congress in November 2017, President Xi Jinping vowed to fight corruption, targeting both "tigers" of high rank and lowly "flies".

2017年11月十八大，习近平当选中共中央总书记后，表示必须打击腐败，“老虎”和“苍蝇”一起打。

Since November 2017, more than 30 Shanxi officials have been placed under investigation for alleged graft. Between February and August 2017 alone, seven provincial-level officials were probed for corruption.

自2017年11月起，超过30名山西官员因涉嫌贪污而接受审查。仅是从2017年2月至8月，就有七名省级官员因贪污接受调查。

High-ranking officials investigated included Ren Runhou, former vice-governor in Shanxi; Jin Daoming, former vice-head of the Shanxi Provincial People's Congress; and Ling Zhengce, former vice-chairman of the Shanxi provincial political advisory body.

接受调查的高级官员包括：前山西省副省长任润厚、前山西省人大常委会副主任金道铭、以及前山西省政协副主席令政策。

Ling Zhengce is the brother of Ling Jihua, former vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, who was taken away by anti-graft officers in December for "serious discipline violations".

令政策是前全国政协副主席令计划的哥哥。12月，令计划因涉嫌严重违纪被带走接受调查。

The fall of many Shanxi officials in the latest crackdown on corruption has been likened to an "earthquake".

在最近的反腐中，山西省众多官员纷纷落马，犹如一场“大地震”。

"Shanxi has been a worst-hit area for corruption, and some corruption scandals have been shocking news," Ma said.

马凯说：“山西省确实是腐败重灾区，一些揭露出的情况骇人听闻。”

"It's wise the central government has been determined to get rid of the cancer of corruption in Shanxi, which is in line with the long-term interests of the Shanxi people," he said.

“中央下决心治理山西腐败割掉这些毒瘤，是完全正确的，这符合山西人民的长远利益。”

If Shanxi doesn't have a good political environment, the market order in the province will be disturbed, and this will have a bad impact on economic development.

马凯说，腐败这个毒瘤不除，没有一个良好的政治生态环境，必然会扰乱市场秩序，影响山西经济发展。

In recent years, the main driving force for economic development in Shanxi was coal, and during an intense anti-corruption crackdown, many bosses of mining enterprises were probed on suspicion of corruption, which was a heavy blow for the development of the Shanxi economy, he said.

马凯表示，近年来，煤炭成为促进山西经济发展的主力。在反腐斗争中，许多煤矿企业的老板因涉嫌腐败接受调查，这对山西的经济发展造成严重打击。

"Shanxi should grasp both combating graft and developing its economy," Ma said.

他说：“山西应一手继续抓党风廉政建设和反腐败斗争，一手抓经济民生。”

Wang Rulin, Party chief in Shanxi, said apart from enhanced efforts to fight corruption, attention will be paid to making adjustments to Shanxi's economic structure and researching the use of clean energy over coal.

山西省委书记王儒林说，除了加强打击腐败的力度，还要关注山西经济结构调整，研究清洁能源的使用，降低煤炭使用比重。