Senior official He Guoqiang stressed the strengthening of the supervision of the administration and distribution of relief supplies on Friday.

Those who embezzle, misappropriate or retain relief funds or supplies and speculators who take advantage of the disaster will be strictly punished, He told a conference on combating corruption.

He, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, told officials at the meeting to faithfully implement all the decisions of the central government to overcome all difficulties to complete disaster rescue and relief.

He also stressed that all the officials must faithfully implement the work plan on prevention and punishment of corruption from 2008 to 2012.

"We'll try to establish a framework of corruption prevention and punishment in the next few years including education, supervision and punishment related to corruption," he said.

"We hope to further curb corruption, improve the work style of the party and increase people's satisfaction with our fight against corruption while implementing this plan," he said.

(Xinhua News Agency May 24, 2008)