Guangdong launches anti-corruption pilot project

Guangdong province is to launch a pilot project requiring all Party and government officials to report their assets, in the latest move to curb corruption.

In recent weeks, investigations into possible disciplinary violations by a number of high-ranking officials in the southern province have begun.

Huang Xianyao, secretary of the Guangdong Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Communist Party of China, said: "The province is now selecting designated districts and counties to introduce the pilot project."

The commission will also disclose properties owned by officials, Huang said.

He said the commission is studying details and introducing rules for the pilot project, and pledged to introduce more effective measures to fight corruption in the next year. 

"The commission will expand supervision on issues involving officials illegally applying for identity cards and other certificates, traveling abroad, transferring properties abroad and arranging for their spouses' and children's emigration," Huang told media in Guangzhou, the provincial capital, on Tuesday. 

The pilot project will be rolled out across the province when it is proven to be effective, Huang added.

Han Zhipeng, a member of the Guangzhou committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said the pilot project is of great significance in preventing and fighting corruption.

"It helps further standardize the code of conduct of the Party and government officials and makes the government operations transparent," Han said on Tuesday.

"It will also help place officials under supervision of society and the media," he said. 

Xiao Bin, a professor at Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, said introducing the pilot project demonstrates the authorities' determination to establish a system to prevent and fight corruption.

Guangdong, with its advanced media industry, should also bring into full play a supervisory role for newspapers, television and radio stations in preventing and fighting corruption, Xiao said.

Mei Heqing, a senior official with the Party's Guangzhou commission for discipline inspection, said Nansha district in Guangzhou, located at the mouth of the Pearl River, has taken the lead in introducing the pilot project. 

Mei said the commission also plans to work with the housing, taxation and exit and entry departments to allow the public to inquire into officials' property, travel records and other information.

He said people will be able to find out the number of properties officials own simply by using their computers.

Guangdong is introducing the pilot project to fight corruption after five senior Party and government officials have been investigated in the province in 40 days. And 10 prefecture-level officials have been investigated since the start of the year, according to the Guangdong commission.

Liang Daoxing, former vice-mayor of Shenzhen, is under investigation on suspicion of a serious disciplinary violation, the commission's website reported on Saturday.

Liang, 63, is also suspected of serious economic problems concerning construction of venues for the 26th Summer Universiade, held in Shenzhen in 2011. Liang was director-general of the executive office of the Universiade.

Other senior officials investigated in Guangdong in recent weeks include Chen Hongping, former Party chief of Jieyang city, Lu Yingming, deputy director of the provincial land and resources department, Zheng Beiquan, former vice-mayor and director of the public security bureau in Yingde city, and Wei Jinfeng, former deputy director of the provincial finance department.