China’s ruling party called the corruption case of disgraced politician Bo Xilai a "profound lesson", as delegates convened in Beijing on the eve of its national congress.
 
The party’s handling of Bo’s as well as former Railways Minister Liu Zhijun's cases showed the leaders’ strong resolve and distinct attitude against corruption no matter how high ranking the culprits, congress spokesman Cai Mingzhao told a news briefing on Wednesday.
 
"The problems of Bo and Liu are serious corruption cases among leading cadres of the party, and the lessons are profound," Cai said. The fight against corruption is long-term, complex and extremely difficult, he said.
 
The 18th National Party Congress that opens Thursday and lasts seven days will thoroughly discuss the issue and its disciplinary body will further push for a system to struggle against corruption through education, prevention, supervision and punishment in next five years, he said.
 
Bo, one of China's highest-profile political stars and former party boss of the southwestern city of Chongqing, has been expelled from the party. He was then sent for prosecution in September on charges including corruption and severe disciplinary violations. A scandal surrounding him and his administration, which has seen his wife convicted of murdering a British businessman, is believed to have plagued the leadership transition.
 
Liu was expelled from the party after he was found to have used his position to seek huge illegal profits for private businessmen. He was also blamed for not ensuring safety standards that led to the deadly Wenzhou train crash in July 2011 that killed 40 people.
 
Even as Chinese people has grown more affluent, corruption among businessmen and officials have exacerbated social tensions these years, along with a growing wealth gap and environmental issues.
 
From November 2007 to this February, disciplinary departments across China have punished around 540,000 people in around 520,000 corruption cases in areas including land demolition, mineral resources exploitation, education, medicine, food and office-buying, according to Xinhua News Agency.
 
The Associated Press discovered an office-buying scandal in a small town in northern China. It said such cases have touched Chinese officials from the village up to the provincial level.
 
One of the biggest challenges for China's new government and party leadership will be fighting graft, which has battered the ruling party’s image as an institution that promotes the competent, not the connected, the AP said.
 
National party congresses are held once every five years and this year's meeting will usher in a once-in-a-decade transition to a new generation of top officials.