Dereliction of duty cases soar

The crime is expected to continue rising in 2013, academy says

The number of people convicted of dereliction of duty soared in China last year, according to new research by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and cases are expected to continue rising in 2013.

Tackling corruption has become a key government policy, since the Party's 18th National Congress in November, with investigations being launched into several high-profile figures, including Bo Xilai, the former Party chief of Chongqing, and ex-railways minister Liu Zhijun.

China's new leadership has underlined how it plans to work side by side with citizens in exposing corruption.

Reports increase

Reports of economic crimes rapidly increased in 2012 during a six-month campaign by Chinese public security authorities, an analysis shows.

From March to August last year, police cracked about 229,000 cases, more than twice the number in 2011, and recovered economic losses of 54.5 billion yuan ($8.7 billion), according to a report by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

According to the Supreme People's Procuratorate, 53,558 people were arrested for damaging the Chinese economy between January and October 2012, a 59.4 percent year-on-year increase.

Illegal fundraising, illegally seizing public deposits and organized pyramid schemes were the main crimes and happened in areas such as telecommunications, tourism and financing, said the report.

Meanwhile, crimes involving food and medicines in 2012 were serious and began extending to suburban areas, according to the report.

In addition, production and sale of counterfeit items were still rising, the report said.

Police from China and the United States broke a large gang infringing on other countries' intellectual property rights last year, confiscating more than 20,000 fake famous-brand bags involving around 5 billion yuan.

Work stepped up

The Supreme People's Procuratorate has ordered prosecuting departments nationwide to enhance work to prevent duty-related crimes, according to a notice it issued on Monday.

The notice said the departments will work closely with relevant administrative authorities to protect the safety of government investment, and take the initiative in following up and monitoring construction of major projects.

Priority will go to projects with large-scale investment, especially ones of great significance in maintaining economic growth, to ensure they remain safe and corruption-free, said Song Hansong, director of the duty-related crimes prevention department under the SPP.

The notice said prosecuting departments should pay attention to analysis of conditions and causes behind job-related crimes in key sectors, including construction, finance, traffic, education and health.

Meanwhile, the SPP will help set up a system to prevent conflicts of interest, and will also ensure transparency, Song said.

The academy's report said from January to June, the authorities handled 30,694 cases related to dereliction of duty, a 15.3 percent year-on-year increase.

It added that 13,044 people were charged with the crime, 29 percent more than in 2011.