Spot checks on officials' asset declarations may curb corruption

The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Communist Party of China will launch spot checks on officials' asset declarations, an effective measure to fight corruption, says an article in Beijing Youth Daily.

Here are excerpts:

The commission has announced that disciplinary inspection organizations should strictly implement the property declaration system for officials and carry out spot checks to verify their assets.

Disciplinary inspection regulations currently state that officials should report their own, their spouses' and children's personal information, including assets, investment status and work status.

This is needed to fight corruption, and win widespread public support. Officials have power over public resources as well as decision-making power on public affairs. Through the personal information reporting system for officials, disciplinary inspection organs and the public can supervise officials, and avoid abuse of power more efficiently.

Officials' property declarations are the most important area of the personal information reporting system, which is also the most difficult to implement.

Up to now, officials' self-reporting details have not been disclosed to the public, as this is difficult to supervise. And some officials have transferred their property to relatives to cope with the asset declaration.

Under such circumstances, it is vital the commission brings in spot checks on officials' personal information. Without checks and verification, anti-corruption measures will struggle to have any effect. Spot checks are a deterrent to corrupt officials, and an encouragement to those who are clean.

It is good to have such checks on officials' property, declare this to the public and deal with corrupt officials according to the policy. But the authorities should guarantee implementation in practice.