Anti-graft report advises restricting officials' power

A report on China's fight against corruption has advised restricting officials' power, especially for unit heads, in order to prevent unwise decision-making and power abuse.

The Report on Combating Corruption and Upholding Integrity in China, compiled by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, calls for an improved system for officials to declare their wealth as well as strengthened efforts to identify those who tamper with local regulations to legalize their personal gains.

The report came after at least ten local officials, including Li Chuncheng, former deputy secretary of the Sichuan Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), were found to have committed disciplinary or law violations amid the country's efforts to fight graft under a new CPC leadership.

The report released on Wednesday recommends publicizing the records of officials' use of public fund for receptions, transportation and travel and incorporating such records into evaluations of officials' work.

The report also points out major corruption-prone fields that are closely related to people's interests, such as food and drug quality, production safety, land appropriation and environmental protection.

"Public ratings should be introduced as a major aspect for the evaluation of education, culture, medical health, journalism, sports institutions and other areas," said the report.

Xi Jinping, newly elected general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, said in a speech after the 18th CPC National Congress that the Party must solve problems such as "corruption, being divorced from the people, going through formalities and bureaucracy."