Officials to be made accountable for misdeeds, face strict supervision

BEIJING - On Friday, Premier Wen Jiabao renewed his call for a fight against corruption, which he believes can undermine social stability if it is not dealt with properly.

At a meeting of the State Council, China's Cabinet, Wen listed a series of priorities set for China's anti-graft efforts in 2011, calling on the government to strive to prevent abuses of power, dereliction of duty and other types of misconduct.

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Officials, along with their families and aides, are forbidden to interfere in or manipulate bid activities, Wen said.

They are required to report their assets and the employment statuses of their family members. Officials will be held accountable if they accept bribes, either in cash, securities or payment cards, he said.

Leaders in State-owned enterprises are further forbidden from seeking illicit gains through businesses dealings or through trading, Wen noted.

China has made progress in responding to the complaints of citizens and reducing administrative costs over the past year. But it is still in an extremely difficult point in its development, according to Wen.

He said some long-term and short-term matters of concern are tightly intertwined with the social and economic development of the country, adding that some social contradictions have become fairly prominent.

The problems, together with corruption, may threaten the country's development and stability if they are not properly dealt with, Wen said.

Friday's call marked a renewed push from the Premier for anti-graft efforts. Wen pledged in an online chat with the public in late February that a "primary task" in 2011 will be investigating and punishing principal officials accused of and found guilty of abuses of authority, dereliction of duty and corruption.

During Friday's meeting, Wen promised to better protect the legitimate interests of the public and eliminate extravagant spending by government officials.

Unlawful and forced land expropriations and house demolitions are strictly banned, he said, adding that the administrative system should be reformed to dilute the power of some government departments. Wen said that certain agencies have become too powerful.

Wen also called for government departments to become more efficient and for a stricter supervision of principal officials.

To reduce administrative expenses, the government will schedule fewer overseas trips and make reforms related to government cars, Wen said.

The government will also curtail extravagant spending on official trips and receptions and reduce both the number of meetings held and of documents used, Wen said. He also encouraged government administrations to make their spending more transparent by publishing budgets.

Vice-Premier Li Keqiang and He Guoqiang, head of the Communist Party of China Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, were present at the meeting.