Party gets tough in fight against corruption

Beijing(China)—The latest reshuffle of the chiefs of anti-graft bodies in the municipalities of Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin indicates the resolve of the Communist Party of China to curb corruption through strengthened supervision, experts said yesterday.
They were commenting on the appointments of top graft busters in the three cities. Ma Zhipeng, a standing committee member of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), has been appointed secretary of the Beijing Commission for Discipline Inspection. Shen Deyong, vice-president of the Supreme People’s Court and a standing committee member of CCDI, has been appointed secretary of the Shanghai Commission for Discipline Inspection.
Shen replaces Luo Shiqian, who remains a deputy Party secretary of the city. Zang Xianfu, deputy secretary of the State Organs Work Committee of the CPC, has been appointed secretary of the Tianjin Commission for Discipline Inspection. The three officials join the list of disciplinary heads in six other provinces Guangdong, Zhejiang, Anhui, Henan, Shanxi and Fujian who were appointed earlier this year from outside the provinces.
“The reshuffle highlights the top leadership’s concerns over the anti-corruption situation in these key areas,” said Li Chengyan, a professor at Peking University. He said the new graft busters in the three municipalities were actually “parachuting” to the new posts, with two having a background in the Party’s top anti-corruption body. A series of corruption scandals involving some high-ranking officials have shocked the country.
Shanghai’s Party secretary Chen Liangyu was dismissed in September following allegations that he and other city officials were involved in the misuse of the city’s 10 billion yuan (US$1.27 billion) social security fund. The money was allegedly illicitly invested in potentially risky real estate and toll road projects. Top city government and Party officials are among dozens of people reportedly implicated in the scandal. In June, Liu Zhihua, vice-mayor of Beijing, was removed from his post allegedly for involvement in corruption.
Wang Baoming, professor with the China National School of Administration, said the “parachuting” of the corruption busters reminded him of the case of Chen Xitong, former Beijing Party chief who was sacked and imprisoned in 1995 for corruption.
Wei Jianxing, then secretary of the CCDI, was appointed to replace Chen from 1995 to 1997. “The new anti-graft officials’ experience will definitely enhance supervision in such key areas as Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin,” Wang said.
While noting these appointments were a normal “exchange of officials” from different regions, Gao Xinmin, professor with the Central Party School, agreed the move would help deter corruption. “Rather than picking officials locally, the central government is obviously trying to encourage the exchange of officials from different places,” Gao said. “The move will help curb nepotism.”

—Daily Mail, People’s Daily news exchange item