China lists penalties for ‘small coffers’ offences
Officials guilty of having illegal special personal funds may be warned or sacked from party
Xinhua 24 August 2009
BEIJING: China’s top discipline watchdog yesterday released detailed penalties for officials who illegally hold special personal funds in its latest drive to fight corruption.
According to a circular issued by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), officials would be punished in accordance with the party’s internal supervision regulations published in 2004 if they hold ‘small coffers’ - funds, securities and assets that are purposely omitted from the account books of CCP and government organisations, even though they are required by laws and regulations.
The CCP called the setting up of such funds a ‘cancer’ in the system.
Previously, the party neither gave a formal definition on what a ‘small coffer’ is, nor set out clear guidelines on punishment for violators. By clarifying these issues, the CCP said it hoped to curb the problem more effectively.
The circular said that officials who illegally set up and used such funds will receive punishments ranging from warnings from the CCP Central Committee to being stripped of party membership.
Some possible uses of the illegal funds mentioned in the circular included personal expenses such as gala dinners, travelling and other recreational activities, the building or renovation of office buildings and giving out excessive staff bonuses.
President Hu Jintao has repeatedly warned that corruption is one of the greatest threats to the legitimacy of Communist Party rule.
The CCP launched a campaign to crack down on the illegal practice earlier this year.
The new circular said that those found to have set up the ‘small coffers’ after the start of the campaign will be removed from their government posts.
The campaign will mainly target CCP and government departments that completely rely on budgetary funds this year, according to the CCDI. It would later be extended to all social institutions, state-run companies, and state-holding companies.
In some areas and departments, the practice of having the illegal funds has occurred frequently or even seriously. ‘The masses have reacted strongly against the practice,’ the CCDI said.
The illegal practice has resulted in ‘inaccuracy in accounting, disturbance in market order, losses in state income and corruption’, it said.
To lead the campaign, the Chinese authorities have set up a special committee comprising members from the CCDI, the Ministry of Supervision, the Ministry of Finance, and the State Auditing Administration.
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China lists penalties for ‘small coffers’ offences
Officials guilty of having illegal special personal funds may be warned or sacked from party
Xinhua
24 August 2009
BEIJING: China’s top discipline watchdog yesterday released detailed penalties for officials who illegally hold special personal funds in its latest drive to fight corruption.
According to a circular issued by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), officials would be punished in accordance with the party’s internal supervision regulations published in 2004 if they hold ‘small coffers’ - funds, securities and assets that are purposely omitted from the account books of CCP and government organisations, even though they are required by laws and regulations.
The CCP called the setting up of such funds a ‘cancer’ in the system.
Previously, the party neither gave a formal definition on what a ‘small coffer’ is, nor set out clear guidelines on punishment for violators. By clarifying these issues, the CCP said it hoped to curb the problem more effectively.
The circular said that officials who illegally set up and used such funds will receive punishments ranging from warnings from the CCP Central Committee to being stripped of party membership.
Some possible uses of the illegal funds mentioned in the circular included personal expenses such as gala dinners, travelling and other recreational activities, the building or renovation of office buildings and giving out excessive staff bonuses.
President Hu Jintao has repeatedly warned that corruption is one of the greatest threats to the legitimacy of Communist Party rule.
The CCP launched a campaign to crack down on the illegal practice earlier this year.
The new circular said that those found to have set up the ‘small coffers’ after the start of the campaign will be removed from their government posts.
The campaign will mainly target CCP and government departments that completely rely on budgetary funds this year, according to the CCDI. It would later be extended to all social institutions, state-run companies, and state-holding companies.
In some areas and departments, the practice of having the illegal funds has occurred frequently or even seriously. ‘The masses have reacted strongly against the practice,’ the CCDI said.
The illegal practice has resulted in ‘inaccuracy in accounting, disturbance in market order, losses in state income and corruption’, it said.
To lead the campaign, the Chinese authorities have set up a special committee comprising members from the CCDI, the Ministry of Supervision, the Ministry of Finance, and the State Auditing Administration.
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