Members of the Communist Party of China (CPC) who seriously violate socialist moral ethics will be punished sternly, according to a newly amended Party regulation.

According to the CPC Disciplinary Penalty Regulation, Party members who have illicit lovers will be deprived of the membership, and those participate in pornographic activities will be accordingly given punishments ranging from serious warnings and removal from Party posts to being expelled from the Party.

Members organizing porn performances should also be removed from the Party.

Violation of political, personnel and financial regulations and involvement in bribery, malfeasance and infringement of others' rights could also invite Party internal penalties, according to the regulation.

Consisting of 178 articles, the regulation was ordered by CPC's central committee to spread to Party committees at different levels for observation on Dec. 31, 2003 and publicized via media on Feb.

(Xinhua News Agency February 20, 2004)