Chinese lawmakers urge amplified anti-corruption efforts to maintain social stability

"Because in my opinion, economic development, social justice and a clean government are the three pillars of social stability," Wen said, quoting that a clean government was the most important among the three.

Wen's words were echoed by Chen Wanzhi, a deputy to the National People's Congress (NPC) and vice chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Chongqing Municipal Committee.

The financial crisis has already affected the Chinese people's wellbeing to different levels, leaving 7 million college graduates,200 million migrant workers and hundreds of thousands of urban citizens jobless. All these could jeopardize the country's stability, Chen said.

"If the government does not seek to further crack down on corruption, which has been a lasting pain in China, at this point of time, its image among the masses could be seriously compromised, and the country's social stability shattered due to the lack of public support to the government," he said.

Li Changshun, an entrepreneur-turned deputy to the NPC from the eastern province of Shandong, also said, "The more challenges we face amid the global financial crisis, the more pressing it is to step up anti-corruption crackdown."