Vietnam has just established a department under the General Directorate of Police, affiliated to the Ministry of Public Security, to strengthen corruption prevention and fight, local newspaper People reported Tuesday.

Under a decision signed by the Minister of Public Security Le Hong Anh on Monday, the Corruption Crime Investigation Department has duties of helping the general directorate of police guide police nationwide to investigate corruption cases, and directly investigating serious cases.

The department also has the right of putting forth anti- corruption suggestions to relevant state agencies and social organizations.

Last month, Vietnam set up a Central Anti-Corruption Steering Committee led by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung. The 10-member committee has the rights to suspend deputy ministers, chairpersons of provincial People's Committees or Councils, and equivalent posts if they have signs of law violation.

The country has identified infrastructure construction, land management, state budget collection and spending, public asset management and operation of banking systems as priority fields for its fights against corruption in 2007.

Source: Xinhua