Government expenditure should receive more transparent
supervision from the public, top political advisers appealed
yesterday.
"Pandora's box will be opened if governments at all levels lack
enough supervision on their expenditure," said Chen Shouyi, a
member of the 10th National Committee of the Chinese People's
Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).
A district government in the city of Linfen, in North China's
Shanxi Province, spent 70 million yuan (US$8.6 million) on a
replica of Tian'anmen Rostrum in Beijing, a symbol of China.
Offices of many local governments are built in accordance with
five-star hotel standards. "The State Council seems to be far
inferior compared with local government buildings," Chen said.
He attributed the malpractices to the lack of restrictive
measures over government expenditure from State revenues, which are
collected mainly through taxation.
While being lavish on their own spending, some governments are
tight fisted in education, social security, scientific research and
rural investment, according to Chen Changzhi, vice-chairman of the
Central Committee of the China Democratic National Construction
Association and vice-minister of supervision.
Twenty-three per cent of all expenditure was spent by
governments in administrative management.
However, only 10 percent of governments' expenditure was spent
on supporting economic and social undertakings for rural residents,
who account for some 63 percent of the total population on the
mainland.
Lack of education, social security and scientific research
investment has resulted in backward social development compared
with the economic advance.
"Financial expenditure of governments has to be rectified," Chen
Changzhi appealed.
Representing the Central Committee of the China Democratic
National Construction Association, he advised a deepening of the
country's State revenue system reforms.
"Administrative expenditure should decrease, as well as
investment in infrastructure facility construction," he said.
Investment in rural development and the public sector, such as
education, science and technology, culture and health should be
enhanced.
According to Chen Changzhi, the social security sector should
also receive more government investment. "Government expenditure
should accept inquiries from taxpayers," he said.
Taxpayers could report to the people's congresses the lawmaking
bodies on the holes they find in governments' spending of their tax
donations, according to Chen Changzhi.
Chen Shouyi suggested including all extra-budget revenues and
government expenditure in budgets.
According to Chinese law, the budget has to receive approval
from the people's congresses.
In reality, extra-budgetary revenues and government expenditure
are totally controlled by the governments themselves without any
supervision from the people's congresses and the public.
"We must ascertain responsibilities of those officials who
misuse their powers by spending taxpayers' donations however they
like," Chen Shouyi said.
Governments should not only make public their extra-budgetary
revenues and expenditures, but also explain to taxpayers when they
decide to make big investments.
"We, the tax payers, have a total right to know how our money is
being used and whether it is reasonable," he said.
(China Daily March 9, 2006)