Li Ruigang had held his position for 13 years and never expected promotion. "I was told by a colleague that I was lucky to be given a chance for promotion -- I am not local, and I am not well connected."
Wu Zhenjie, an official supervising local elections in Shanxi Provincial government, said the surprise interview was arranged to prevent interviewees seeking connections or offering briberies to interviewers.
"Instead of being chosen by higher leaders, candidates must compete. This has eliminated corruption and prompted cadres to improve their workstyles," he said.
SCREENING TIGHTENED
According to Ma Jinbiao, an official with the Organization Department of CPC Shanxi Provincial Committee, a candidate faces more than 10 steps to be promoted, including public recommendation, qualification check, deliberation by related authorities, public notification and voting by local lawmakers.
Inspectors will now supervise the elections in cities, counties and townships across the province, and public tipoffs are encouraged.
As of mid May, organizational authorities in Lyuliang City had revoked the election qualification of a man, whose father-in-law, a local senior lawmaker, had lobbied for him by sending text messages to voters.
During the township-level elections in the district, Zhang Nengqiang was finally elected director of the Fengshan Subdistrict Office at the age of 43. In China, a township-level official usually will not be promoted if he or she is older than 45.
"I'm very grateful I was elected without offering any bribes," he said.
The cleaner political air has also eased the financial burden on local companies, as few officials dare to request election "sponsorship."
Niu Zhiming, a tourism entrepreneur in Lyuliang, said he and his peers have not been asked to back any candidates, without disclosing how much he donated last time.
In an electoral fraud case in Hengyang City, Hunan Province, in 2013, 56 provincial legislators offered bribes totalling 110 million yuan (16.7 million U.S. dollars) to nearly 600 municipal lawmakers and members of staff.
A total of 467 people have been given Party or administrative punishments after they were implicated, and 69 had their cases transferred to judicial organs.
The CPC in April issued a statement stressing a ban on forming factions, bribery, fraud and leaking confidential information, among other types of malpractice. It urged local Party committees, disciplinary organs and organizational departments to carefully oversee the elections.
