China's ruling Communist Party must learn from the traditional virtues that have defined Chinese culture since ancient times as it tackles corruption, a problem that still hangs "acutely" in front of them, the top graft-buster wrote on Friday.

President Xi Jinping has launched a sweeping campaign against graft since assuming the party leadership in 2012 and presidency in 2013, warning, like others before him, that the issue is so severe it could affect the party's grip on power.

Writing in the party's official People's Daily, Wang Qishan, who is in charge of battling corruption, said that the source of the party's rules on tackling this problem were the morals and virtues passed down through history.