"A noteworthy and exciting phenomenon in China's 2009 anti-corruption campaign was a growing number of Internet whistleblowers who posted their observations on corrupt officials' lives and eventually attracted the attention of government supervision organs," said Liao. He said some Chinese officials have not yet realized the potency of the Internet.

Zhou Jiugeng, the former head of a Nanjing district real estate management bureau in Jiangsu Province, became an overnight Internet "celebrity" after a photo of him and his cigarettes at a meeting was posted online in December 2008. The poster pointed out that Zhou's cigarettes cost about 150 yuan ($22) per pack. Taking on the nickname of the "super-expensive-cigarette director" by netizens, Zhou was investigated and was later sentenced to 11 years in prison for taking bribes in 2009.

Another scandal exposed through the Internet was a fraudulent lottery that purported to offer winners affordable housing in Wuhan City, Hubei Province. A June 2009 post claimed that after taking bribe from prospective homebuyers, some officials rigged the lottery, which resulted in the appearance of winners in six consecutive numbers. The whistleblower claimed to be one of those who paid a bribe but failed to get the ideal apartment since many had already paid a bribe. In June, police arrested five suspects who allegedly took nearly 1 million yuan ($147,000).

"The development of Internet monitoring will usher in a new era when officials are exposed to public supervision anywhere and anytime," said Liao.

Senior Officials Put Under Investigation, Referred for Prosecution or Tried in 2009

Zheng Shaodong (CFP)

Zheng Shaodong, former Assistant Minister of Public Security, was investigated in January.

Wang Huayuan, former Party disciplinary head of east China's Zhejiang Province, was investigated in April.

Chen Shaoji, former top political adviser in south China's Guangdong Province, was investigated in April.

Xu Zongheng (XINHUA )

Xu Zongheng, former Mayor of Shenzhen, was investigated in June.

Kang Rixin, former General Manager of the China National Nuclear Corp., was investigated in August.

Huang Yao, former top political advisor of southwest China's Guizhou Province, was investigated in August.

Song Yong, former Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Liaoning Provincial People's Congress, was investigated in October.

Li Tangtang, former Vice Chairman of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, was put under investigation in October.

Sun Shuyi, former top political advisor of east China's Shandong Province, was sacked in December.

Zhang Chunjiang (CFP)

Zhang Chunjiang, former Vice Chairman of state-owned China Mobile, was investigated in December.

Chen Shaoyong, former member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee, was referred for prosecution in January.

Wang Yi, former Vice President of China Development Bank, was arrested in January.

Mi Fengjun, former Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Jilin Provincial People's Congress, was referred for prosecution in March.

Zhu Zhigang, former Deputy Director of the Economic and Financial Committee of the National People's Congress, was referred for prosecution in June.

Pi Qiansheng, former head of the Management Committee of the Tianjin Binhai New Area, was referred for prosecution in June.

Huang Songyou (XINHUA)

Huang Songyou, former Vice President of the Supreme People's Court, was referred for prosecution in August.

Liu Zhihua, former Vice Mayor of Beijing, was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve in January.

Chen Tonghai, former Chairman of China's state-run oil refiner Sinopec, was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve in July.

Sun Yu, former Vice Chairman of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, was sentenced to 18 years in prison in August.

He Hongda, former Director of the Political Department of the Ministry of Railways, was sentenced to 14 years in prison in November.

Source: Southern Weekend

China's Fight Against Corruption in 2009 (Jan-Nov)

A total of 2,231 Party members were stripped of their membership and referred for prosecution for embezzlement or bribery.

Almost 14,000 commercial corruption cases were investigated and handled by disciplinary and supervisory organs, of which about 21 percent involved civil servants.

Discipline inspection bodies received almost 1.32 million petitions and tip-offs, about 11 percent of which were tentatively verified and 8.75 percent were placed on file for investigation and prosecution.

At least 15 ministerial- or provincial-level officials, including heads of state-owned enterprises, were investigated for corruption.

(Source: Communist Party of China's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection)