Other Views

Like most of its counterparts globally, China's customs system has an inner control mechanism that aims at preventing corruption and other risks. However, the mechanism, based on past experiences, is rather rigid and the Shenzhen corruption case reveals how big the loopholes are. It is urgent that the customs authorities check the deficiencies in their anti-corruption mechanism to prevent similar cases from happening again.

rednet.cn, Nov 18

Local residents said corruption within the Shenzhen customs was an "open secret", but the supervising agencies within the customs said they had "completely no idea" about it. Is there any difference between the supervisors and a kangaroo? While corrupt custom officials deserve legal penalties, the supervisors who fail in their duties should be held responsible too.

jschina.com.cn, Nov 18

'A key position brings more illegal profits than a high one." This online comment best reveals why such serious corruption has been found in a city-level customs office, which is almost at the bottom of China's bureaucratic system: Its officials have key power that can easily be turned into money. We hope the case marks the start of strengthened supervision over powerful "flies" (low-level corrupt officials), who often embezzle even more than "tigers" (high-level corrupt officials).

Xinhua Opinion, on Sina micro blog, Nov 17

The Shenzhen case is not the first time a customs office has been involved in "group corruption"; similar cases were reported in Zhuhai in Guangdong province and Ningbo in Zhejiang province. Moreover, all three cases were discovered by judicial agencies and the anti-corruption systems within these customs proved ineffective. Closeness breeds corruption; a total reform of the customs system is needed to bring the power under supervision.

xxcb.cn, Nov 18