Two officials and two managers have been given a serious warning or criticized for making libelous statements, yesterday's Shenzhen Special Zone Daily reported.

Tang Zhengwei, a department head at the employment center and the manager of the job agency responsible for placing fresh graduates, was caught writing anonymous letters and sending text messages to defame an official of the municipal personnel bureau between July and September 2006.

Tang was apparently upset by the fact that the employment center had been transformed from a government-funded public service institution into a private company which will be market-oriented and financially independent.

The decision to warn Tang was announced Tuesday at a press conference jointly held by the municipal commission for discipline inspection of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and municipal supervision bureau. Two other libel cases made public at the press conference involved an official and two managers.

Cai Quanyi, deputy Party chief of the municipal sports authority, was dissatisfied after being transferred from his previous post of member of the Standing Committee of the Futian District Committee of the CPC to his current position.

Instigated by his wife, Cai and some other people, whose names were not revealed at Tuesday's press conference, sent text messages to city leaders and some Futian lawmakers defaming two district leaders when a district election was taking place this year. The text messages have had adversely affected the defamed leaders, according to the press conference.

Two managers of the municipal farm produce company, Huang Wenda and Wu Jianfeng, wrote letters to higher authorities making false accusations against others in August last year before the company's leadership reshuffle. The contents of the letters were later proved to be based on hearsay and rumors. Huang and Wu were also found to have taken advantage of their positions as managers to incite employees to sign their names in the letters.

A notice jointly issued by the municipal commission for discipline inspection of the CPC and municipal supervision bureau said investigation of the three libel cases has once again made clear the firm stand the municipal committee of the CPC has taken in cracking down on graft cases and seeking truth from facts. "We must clear up any wrong accusation in time so as to uphold justice and allow our cadres to be treated fairly," said the Daily report quoting the notice.

Editor: Yan