CPC closes loopholes in internal supervision

The ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) will enhance supervision of the Party and key departments by establishing disciplinary resident offices in government organs.

The CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) has already set up disciplinary offices in 52 of more than 140 central Party and government departments.

Thursday's decision to establish more CCDI offices paves the way for full coverage at all central Party and government organs.

According to authorities, resident disciplinarians will be sent to four CPC central organs: the CPC Central Committee's General Office, Organization Department, Publicity Department and United Front Work Department, as well as the top legislature, top political advisory body and the State Council General Office.

Internal supervision will extend to every corner of the CPC, strengthening anti-corruption efforts and showing the leadership's resolve to run the Party strictly.

The Party still faces a severe and complicated situation in the graft fight. Corruption cases within some of the central organs have had a very bad impact, so it is imperative to strengthen supervision over them.

The central Party and government authorities are organs of supreme power and the main center of the country's governance system. Every central department and subordinate unit must be subject to supervision, without exception.

Sending resident supervisors to key departments is a critical anti-corruption mechanism that has uncovered evidence of corruption and led to punishment of wrongdoers.

However, the mechanism's authority and independence have been questioned as leaders of central departments tend to influence the work of CCDI resident offices.

In order to prevent potential pressure on corruption investigations, the budgets of resident offices are kept independent from those of the central departments where they are stationed.

Under the mechanism, resident supervisors will concentrate on supervision, finding problems, tracing accountability and investigating disciplinary violations by senior officials.

Previously, responsibilities were not clear enough, as resident offices often found themselves engaging in target departments' routine work to improve Party members' work style, and their key supervisory role was not fulfilled.

The CCDI will also step up oversight of the resident offices' work so as to ensure supervisors are clean and honest.

Besides resident offices, disciplinary inspections are another "Sword of Damocles" hanging above those in power to maximize deterrence in the fight against corruption.

The authority has so far covered 47 state-owned groups in the previous four rounds of central inspections since the CPC leadership took power in 2012. A new round of inspections was launched late last month and is expected to take 30 days.