China's Evil Twin - Corruption
China corruption problem 'still very serious' - report
China says its corruption problem is "still very serious" and has set out new measures to tackle it.
In a new report on the fight against corruption, the authorities say more than 200,000 cases have been investigated since 2003.
They say their efforts to date have "yielded notable results" but resolve to make them more effective.
Critics say that corruption is ingrained in the system and new regulations will not solve the problem.
The report carried by the official state news agency Xinhua says that between 2003 and 2009, prosecutors investigated more than 240,000 cases, including embezzlement and bribery.
It highlights new rules requiring members of the governing Communist party to report incomes and investments.
The party also says it will curb excessive spending on official parties and seminars.
The document praises the role of the news media and the internet in exposing corrupt practices, declaring that "sunshine is the best antiseptic".
'Huge sums'The report acknowledges that tackling corruption will be a massive task.
"Since the relevant mechanisms and systems are still incomplete, corruption persists, with some cases even involving huge sums of money," it says.
"The situation in combating corruption is still very serious, and the tasks are still abundant."
China has launched several anti-corruption campaigns in recent years.
One of the biggest involved a powerful party boss in Shanghai, Chen Liangyu, who was jailed for 18 years in 2008 for his role in a pension fund scandal.
In July 2010, the top justice official in the city of Chongqing, Wen Qiang, was executed after being convicted of accepting bribes, rape and shielding criminal gangs.
China issues first anti-corruption white paper, pledging firmer actions
BEIJING, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- China Wednesday released its first ever white paper on the nation's anti-graft efforts, expressing its resolve to strengthen the fight against corruption.
The document, titled China's Efforts to Combat Corruption and Build a Clean Government, was issued by the Information Office of the State Council, or Cabinet.
Ren Jianming, director of the Anti-Corruption and Governance Research Center at Tsinghua University, said corruption is a sensitive issue, and the white paper shows "China has a more open and cooperative attitude toward the problem."
The report will help eliminate bias and misunderstanding about China's anti-graft battle as it details both achievements and problems, said He Zengke, a researcher at the Central Compilation and Translation Bureau, a prominent research institute on Marxism and Chinese policies.
"It will help people develop a correct, objective and comprehensive understanding of China," he said.
China's efforts to combat corruption and build a clean government have been managed systematically and promoted comprehensively and "achieved results," the report said.
From 2003 to 2009, prosecutors at all levels investigated more than 240,000 cases of embezzlement, bribery, dereliction of duty, and rights infringement, according to the report.
From January to November, the Party's discipline watchdogs investigated 119,000 graft cases, resulting in 113,000 people being punished, of whom 4,332 were prosecuted, said Wu Yuliang, secretary general of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of Communist Party of China (CPC), at a press conference Wednesday.
From 2005 until 2009, over 69,200 cases of commercial bribery -- involving some 16.59 billion yuan in funds -- were investigated, it said.
In 2009, some 7,036 officials were held responsible for serious mistakes, breach of duty, and failing to manage and supervise subordinates, the report said.
The report quoted a National Bureau of Statistics survey as saying that 83.8 percent of Chinese thought corruption was reduced to some extent in 2010, which was up from 68.1 percent in 2003.
The document warned that the task of curbing corruption remains arduous.
China has undergone dramatic economic and social change, and the ideas and concepts of the people have altered, leading to increased social conflict, the report said.
"Since the relevant mechanisms and systems are still incomplete, corruption persists, some cases even involving huge sums of money," the report said. "Breaches of law and discipline tend to be more covert, intelligent and complicated."
The CPC and the government understand the "long-haul, complicated and arduous" nature of the anti-graft mission, the report said.
"They will resolutely punish and effectively prevent corruption with more resolutions and powerful measures," the report said.
The report introduces the principles, working mechanisms and legal framework for China's anti-graft system. It also sets out the progress made in combating corruption and international anti-graft cooperation.
Despite the achievements made, more work has to be done to meet the people's expectation for anti-graft efforts, especially with improving the transparency of decision making, He said.
Many difficulties and problems facing the anti-graft work will be solved through the reform of the systems, he said.
On Tuesday the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, the country's central leadership, set objectives for the country's anti-graft mission in the next phase, stressing better anti-corruption supervision on construction projects, public money being held in private account, extravagant ceremonies, and government vehicles.
Prof. Yan Shuhan at the Central Party School said the Communist Party of China should stay sober-minded and persistent in its anti-graft endeavor and face the problems head on.
PUBLIC SUPERVISION
"In China, the channel is unimpeded for citizens to be involved in the combat against corruption by means of impeaching and lodging lawsuit," the report said.
China's governments have departments to handle letters and calls of complaints and suggestions from the people.
In addition, discipline inspection organs of the CPC, procuratorates, and government supervisory and audit departments have all established tip-off systems with hotlines and websites.
The report also noted that the Internet has become a new form of supervision by the public.
"China highly values the positive role played by the Internet in enhancing supervision," the report said.
The country has worked hard to collect, research and manage the anti-graft information it has obtained from the Internet, it said.
Prof. Wang Wei at the Chinese Academy of Governance said what is behind the hotlines and Internet supervision was the government's growing willingness to take onboard public comment and criticism and the public's increasing awareness of their role in combating corruption.
Related:
More Chinese think corruption curbed
BEIJING, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- A government survey shows 83.8 percent of Chinese think corruption has been kept down to "varying extents" in 2010, says a white paper on the country's anti-corruption issued here Wednesday.
The survey was done by the National Bureau of Statistics of China (NBS), says the white paper, China's Efforts to Combat Corruption and Build a Clean Government, issued by the Information Office of the State Council. Full story
China has legal framework in place for combating corruption
BEIJING, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- China has gradually established an effective legal framework for combating corruption and clean governance with rigorous procedures and well-matched regulations, according to a white paper released on Wednesday.
China adheres to the rule of law as a fundamental principle, and continuously promotes legalization and standardization in the fight against corruption and the building of a clean government, says the white paper, China's Efforts to Combat Corruption and Build a Clean Government. Full story
China battles corruption with legal measures
BEIJING, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- China has been investigating and dealing with cases of corruption in accordance with law and discipline, maintaining a stern momentum in the checking of corruption, according to a government white paper released on Wednesday.
From 2003 to 2009, the people's procuratorates at all levels filed for investigation more than 240,000 cases of embezzlement, bribery, dereliction of duty and infringements on rights, says the white paper, titled China's Efforts to Combat Corruption and Build a Clean Government, issued by the Information Office of the State Council, China's Cabinet. Full story
CPC makes combating corruption a priority task
BEIJING, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Communist Party of China (CPC) has always conscientiously prioritized combating corruption and clean government building among its tasks, says a white paper released by the Information Office of the State Council, China's Cabinet, on Wednesday.
Particularly since the reform and opening-up policies were introduced, the CPC Central Committee has formulated a series of strategies, principles and policies related to the work, says the white paper, China's Efforts to Combat Corruption and Build a Clean Government. Full story
China highly values Internet's role in enhancing supervision
BEIJING, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- China highly values the positive role played by the Internet in enhancing supervision, says a government white paper issued Wednesday.
The white paper, titled China's Efforts to Combat Corruption and Build a Clean Government, says that in recent years the Internet has served as a new platform for public supervision, producing great influence and featuring a wider range of participation. Full story
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