Beijing, Nov 20 (IANS): Despite democratic centralism within the Communist Party of China (CPC), "there are not enough institutional mechanisms to prevent power
from being gripped by leaders at various levels, who can then wield power according to their own will", said a Chinese daily Tuesday.
An editorial in the China Daily said that Xi Jinping, the newly elected general secretary of the Central Committee of the CPC, has connected the fight against corruption with the fate of the party and the country, indicating he and his colleagues "know the severity of the task ahead".
Xi Saturday said the increasingly rampant corruption, if unchecked, would eventually result in the collapse of the party and thereafter the country.
He said the corruption cases involving government officials in recent years had seriously tarnished the image of the Party.
The daily said it is not difficult to conclude from the "many corruption cases that have caught the public eye that the concentration of power within the hands of leaders at various levels is a main reason for abuses of power".
"Despite the democratic centralism within the party, there are not enough institutional mechanisms to prevent power from being gripped by leaders at various levels, who can then wield power according to their own will," it added.
The daily said that both the central government and party leaders have on many occasions spoken of the need for the optimization of institutions to prevent government and party officials from abusing their power.
China last week witnessed a once-in-a-decade leadership change that put Xi Jinping on top of the Chinese political hierarchy and the next president after Hu Jintao.
His party colleague Li Keqiang will step into the shoes of Premier Wen Jiabao.
Xi has also said that although the socialist system with Chinese characteristics is unique and effective, institution building and consolidation must be placed at the top of the Party's agenda.
"Therefore, some new institutional mechanisms can be expected in the near future to intensify supervision over leaders at all levels.
"Xi obviously means what he said, and clearly the battle against corruption will be one of the major tasks of this central committee," it said.