New bank sets out ground rules and says transparency will be at forefront in its operations

Financial transparency, corporate governance and high standards in top management skills will be the cornerstones of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.

Already 57 countries have joined the AIIB with South Korea, the United Kingdom, Australia, France, Germany and Italy all signing up as founding members.

In keeping with such a large organization, Jin Liqun, chairman of the Multilateral Interim Secretariat of the AIIB, told a forum in Singapore on Saturday that the AIIB will adopt a "21st century management" structure.

This will involve a "core group of professionals" running the bank, where the top management will be appointed on ability and not political connections.

"The AIIB is a bank, not a political organization or political alliance," said Jin. "This will guarantee that it will operate in a transparent way."

Jin said that the AIIB will have strict parameters and will strive to be graft-free as well as transparent in all dealings and transactions. On several occasions he has stressed that the AIIB will have "zero tolerance toward corruption". The motto of the bank set by him is "lean, clean and green".

Jin also assured his Singaporean audience that China will not dominate the key roles inside the AIIB. "Leadership is not a privilege," he said. "It's an obligation."

Jin's team has been in contact with some leading experts. They include Natalie Lichtenstein, who has retired from the World Bank after 30 years as a senior lawyer.

Shaukat Aziz, former prime minister of Pakistan, said that precisely because the AIIB is starting from "ground zero", it could avoid being "a hostage to history" and copying the mistakes made by established institutions.

When asked about whether the AIIB will adhere to the "best practices" of the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, Shi Guangyao, vice-minister of finance, said: "There is no 'best practice' but 'better practices'. China will work with other parties to build the AIIB into a professional, efficient infrastructure investment platform."

zhengyangpeng@chinadaily.com.cn