With the top anti-graft organ establishing supervisors in the offices of central authorities, and the launch of a campaign to capture fugitive officials abroad, China is leaving corruption no place to hide.
The Communist Party of China's (CPC) Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) said on Tuesday that it has established resident offices in four Party central organs, as well as the country's parliament, top political advisory body and the cabinet.
Wednesday saw the kick-off of the cross-department "Sky Net" operation to capture corrupt cadres who have fled abroad. Considered more comprehensive than last year's "Fox Hunt" campaign, this initiative will also focus on counterfeit certificates, underground banks and misappropriated assets.
In addition, central authorities have also strengthened anti-graft efforts in state-owned enterprises (SOEs).
SCRUTINIZING TOP AUTHORITIES
According to the CCDI, resident supervisors have set up shop in the CPC Central Committee's General Office, Organization Department, Publicity Department and United Front Work Department. Similar branches were also set up in the top legislature, top political advisory body and the General Office of the State Council.
Resident offices have for some time allowed disciplinary organs to supervise departments, public-sponsored institutions and SOEs. They are responsible for disciplinary inspections, pressing implementation of Party discipline and tracing accountability.
This is the first time they have been established in the three top state organs and the four Party organs. Prof. Xie Chuntao with the Party School of CPC Central Committee, described the move as "historically significant".
The central Party and government authorities are organs of supreme power and the main center of the country's governance system. The CCDI's deputy secretary, said in December, following the decision to establish these offices, that graft within these organs has had a very negative impact, so it is "imperative" to strengthen supervision over them.
A number of very senior officials in Party and central state authorities have been felled for corruption in recent years, most notably Zhou Yongkang, and Ling Jihua, who both held posts in top organs.
Despite these successes, some doubted how effective a subordinate body could really be in supervising a superior organ. In response, Xie said that supervision offices are directly managed by the CCDI, the authority of which cannot be challenged.
"SKY NET" AN UPGRADED VERSION OF "FOX HUNT"
Compared to the "Fox Hunt 2014" Operation launched by the Ministry of Public Security, "Sky Net" is a more coordinated move. It involves other departments, including the Supreme People's Procuratorate, the central bank, and the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee.
