Money

Housing corruption put in crosshairs

By Yan Jie (China Daily)
Updated: 2011-01-12 10:32

BEIJING - Discipline inspection authorities of the Communist Party of China have pledged to target misconduct of officials in the housing sector as soaring prices become a rising concern for the Chinese public.

A communique released on Tuesday at the end of a three-day plenary session of the Party's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) said acts of misconduct such as irregular possession of excessive apartments, trading affordable housing or renting and leasing low-rent apartments will be punished. The conspicuous problems damaging the public's interests with respect to land requisition, building demolition and housing security should be resolved, it said.

The sixth plenary session of the 17th CCDI, which ended on Tuesday, outlined anti-corruption work for this year.

The session agreed that the whole Party must realize that the fight against corruption is a "long-haul, complicated and arduous" task.

Discipline inspection departments will continue to address corruption issues in the construction sector and strictly punish officials who violate rules for project assessment and approval, cheat in public tenders or illegally grant contracts, the document said.

Stopping malpractice in mining projects and land use will also be a priority, it said.

Discipline inspection departments will examine methods to stop governments from holding excessive numbers of ceremonies, seminars and forums.

They will also work to improve the efficient use of official business cars, it said.

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To regulate the behavior of senior officials, the CCDI pledged to firmly punish those who illegally accept gifts and travel abroad for private purposes at government expense.

The CCDI this year will begin to supervise and inspect policy enforcement with regard to curbing consumer and property prices, said the communique.

The communique also stressed that more effort will be made to improve the transparency of government work in areas such as administration and justice, and especially at the grassroots level such as in factories, villages and public enterprises or units.

The CCDI called for enhanced education, regulation and supervision for grassroots officials. These officials will be punished if they are found to be abusing power, involved in gang activities or embezzling public properties.

The regulation of villages' collective funds, capital and resources should also be enhanced, it added.

In addition, flattery among officials or fawning between superiors and subordinates should be opposed to retain a positive Party style, said the communique.

Figures from the CCDI show 146,517 officials across China were punished for disciplinary violations last year, including 5,098 leaders at the county head level or above and 804 officials who were referred for prosecution.

Xinhua contributed to this story.