China still face challenges in its anti-corruption work, according to He Zengke, director of the China Center for Comparative Politics and Economics.
During "The 'Belt and Road': China and Sri Lanka -- Sri Lanka Advanced Training Program in Public Governance," He pointed out that although many officials were keeping their behavior in check, underperformance remained an issue.
"Some officials are clean but incapable," He said. "They are not greedy or corrupt, but indolent and sloppy."
The organizers of the event, which is being held in Beijing and Shenzhen in south China's Guangdong Province from Dec. 22 to 27., have invited 30 Sri Lankan officials to hear lectures on China's politics, economy, ecology, and global affairs.
Having two decades of experience researching China's anti-corruption work, He has noticed a shift in behaviors and attitudes. However, at the current time, the "dilemma of balancing the anti-corruption campaign with guarantying the rights of officials," is a top concern.
It is not enough to have clean politics, He said. "A government which is clean but not capable will miss those precious opportunities for development."
Officials that accept bribes must be punished, while those that are competent should be encouraged and promoted, he said.
Therefore, he proposed that the wages of public servants be increased to reduce temptation, and that laws be issued that protect informers.
He also called for more market-orientation reform to break the monopoly in resource allocation.
Effective measures
"The leaders have demonstrated strong will and determination in fighting corruption," He said. "No one enjoys impunity."
The inspection system and public participation have been integral to the anti-corruption drive, the director analyzed.
"Party committees send inspection groups to subordinate organizations to investigate, interview, and receive reports and complaints of behaviors or problems that are illegal or against rules," He explained.
"The government has also focused on extraditing fugitive officials, and enhanced the implementation of laws and the Party code of conduct," He said.
Operation "Skynet," in 2015 alone, repatriated 863 officials, he revealed.
In addition, the Internet is being used as a platform for informers to share information, as told by He.
Achievements
He Zengke explained that 139 high-rank officials, provincial level officials or Army commanders and above, had been implicated in corrupt behavior, leading to investigations, from the 18th CPC National Congress up to November this year.
By October this year, nearly 140,000 officials had been disciplined because of violations of the "Eight Rules" of the Political Bureau of the CPC. They had been found to be involved in misconduct, the director disclosed.
He said following the 18th CPC National Congress public confidence in the fight against corruption had risen to more than 75 percent.
