The five-year ban China's new leadership has imposed on the construction of new Party and government buildings shows its determination to promote frugality, maneuver a change in working style and refresh the public image of the Party and government.

According to a directive jointly issued by the general offices of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council, all levels of the Party and government departments should not construct new buildings, including hotels and training centers, in the next five years. The construction, purchase, renovation and expansion of office compounds in the name of building repairs or urban planning are also forbidden. It also demands that any expenditures on renovating office buildings be included in the department budgets made public at the end of every year.

At the same time, the directive bans Party and government organizations from receiving any form of sponsorship or donations from the construction industry, or cooperating with enterprises in developing construction projects.

This is the latest in a series of moves to promote frugality and fight extravagance. Since taking office as the new chief of the CPC in November, General Secretary Xi Jinping has spearheaded a fierce battle against pomp, formality, extravagance and the squandering of public money, malpractices that are widely believed to have alienated the Party from ordinary people.

Given the constant exposures of corruption involving projects funded by public money, the across-the-board halt to the construction of new government premises will facilitate the fight against corruption and stop the damage such construction does to the image of the Party and government.

Although there are national standards for government buildings, they have not been strictly implemented, especially at local levels. In fact, many oversized and luxury government buildings have been erected across the country in recent years, fueling public discontent and tainting the image of the Party and government. Fuyang, a city in Auhui province, is notorious for a luxury government building that local residents derisively call the second White House.

At a time when the growth in government fiscal revenues is decelerating, halting the construction of new government buildings will also help boost the government's financial capability to improve people's lives.

(China Daily 07/25/2013 page8)