Premier Wen Jiabao said in Beijing yesterday that the Chinese government will undertake one of its most essential tasks of the government to fight against corruption during his tenure of office.

He emphasized the need to step up efforts combating corruption, as it is what the premier described as a "life-or-death" issue for the destiny of the Communist Party of China and the Chinese government.

The premier made the remark while addressing a press conference with a group of Chinese and foreign journalists who covered the just-ended annual session of the National People's Congress.

"My colleagues and I are willing to be subjected under the supervision by people," Wen made the pledge in response to a question concerning the conviction of a number of provincial-level officials who have faced corruption charges over the last year.

The government will take three steps to further carry out the anti-corruption drive, Wen said, acknowledging that China will install educational and supervision rules and regulations to prevent and fight corruption, resolutely punish corrupt officials, halt unethical practices in the public administration, and do well the work closely relating to the interests of the people.

Wen also reminded the people of late Chairman Mao Zedong's admonitions six decades ago to the whole Party not to follow the example of some peasant-uprising leaders in the Chinese history who turned corrupt once they were in power.

"In the past 60 years, many comrades of our Party have stood the test, but there have also been some who didn't and became victimized by 'sugar-coated bullets,"' Wen said.