Former Australian Prime Minister and Leader of the Labor Party Kevin Rudd has said that corruption is a "universal problem," irrespective of the ideology, religion, or culture it fosters, and therefore always calls for "universal solutions, apart from national solutions" to curb it.

Former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd takes questions from the press on Sept. 8, 2015 on the sideline of the "Party and World Dialogue 2015 -- To Discipline the Party: Responsibility of the Party." [Photo by Chen Boyuan / China.org.cn]

"Corruption is a universal problem with universal characteristics. Annual reports from Transparency International show that such problems exist across the world," said Rudd in Beijing on Tuesday, attending the "Discipline the Party: Party Responsibility – the Party and the World Dialogue 2015," an annual international symposium held by the International Department of the CPC Central Committee (IDCPC), to solicit opinions on better exercising Party discipline.

While corruption is a universal problem, it is also universally considered to be unacceptable, as corruption damages all countries. "It damages individuals, families, societies, the economy and the credibility and legitimacy of a political system," he said.

Many corrupt Chinese officials have, in the past, considered Australia a safe heaven and thus fled there along with their family members. This is why the two governments are trying to work out an extradition plan so that those overseas foxes, as they are referred to, can be brought to justice back home in the future.

Such a coordinated effort is an example how different countries could cooperate in fighting against corruption based on common ground.

"My experience is that all religious traditions and cultures have positions about honest and corrupt behavior. It [Integrity] is a universal moral value not a particular one," said Rudd.

"Each country has its responsibility and should help each other," said Rudd, who declined to comment individual case in the Chinese government's "overseas fox hunting," in consideration of "politeness" implications associated with the current Australian government.

Rudd shared his governance experience saying that a nation's own cultural values act as an important "morally correcting agent against corrupt behaviors," since "any culture that is not confident in its fundamental values will always have problem of corruption."

He has also encouraged China to continue with its economic reform and opening-up policies as a better economy will lead to a more transparent society and the regulatory structure to accommodate it, hence reducing the opportunity for corruption.

"Being the sole ruling party in China, the CPC has to moderate itself from within," said Wang Jiarui, minister of the IDCPC. "The solution cannot be found in the Western countries' multi-party system in which different parties take turn to rule. Thus, we should exercise self-moderation, self-perfection, self-reformation, and self-discipline to solve this problem."

The "Party and the World Dialogue 2015" is just an example of how the CPC is making these efforts to self-discipline by inviting international advice and criticism to achieve better governance.

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