3/4/2004
The Central Committee of the
Communist Party of China released its regulations on
disciplinary penalties last Wednesday, which experts hailed as
another major step in the fight against corruption. Secretary
of the Municipal Party Committee Du Shicheng stresses
implementation of the rules to oversee the conduct of Party
members at an extended conference of the standing members of
the Municipal Party Committee earlier this week.
Expecting those regulations will play a
crucial role in promoting democracy, stepping up supervision
within the Party, safeguarding Party unity and furthering the
fight against corruption, Du Shicheng has called on all Party
members to study and observe the regulations.
The regulations, together with rules on
internal supervision released last Tuesday, represents the
Party's determination to base its efforts in the fight against
corruption on rules rather than any particular leader's
political will. The regulations will raise the risks for
corrupt offenders by being specific and practical.
The 178-article set of regulations
specifies punishments on such irregularities as taking bribes,
embezzling public funds and dereliction of duty.
It also penalizes conduct, which
disrupts the management of social order, such as visiting
prostitutes and offering favourable conditions for gambling,
which are banned by law. Disciplinary measures within the
Party will include steps such as warnings, severe warnings,
removal from office, probation within the Party and expulsion.
Party members should not be promoted within a year after
receiving punishments such as warnings or severe warnings.
The regulations stipulate that holding
back or distorting information or seeking profits by taking
advantages of one's position in the employment, examination
and promotion of officials or employees will receive
punishments ranging from warnings to probation within the
Party. The Party's regulation on internal supervision also
puts emphasis on the supervision of leading officials in
checking their corrupt counterparts.
The Party will step up efforts to
protect the interests of the general public through curbing
the projects designed by officials only for the purpose of
showing off their achievements.
More steps will also be taken to protect
the legal interests of disadvantaged people, such as farmers
in land acquisition deals, urban residents in relocation
projects. There will also be more attention paid to employees
of State-owned firms in corporate regrouping and bankruptcy
deals, and migrant workers who often complain about delays in
wage payments.
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