China will step up the auditing of directors of customs nationwide, starting March 1, as a way to curb corruption among customs officials, the General Administration of Customs announced Thursday.
All directors of customs will have to pass auditing before they leave their post, whether the director will get promoted, transferred to new position, retire, resign or get fired, according to a press release issued by the administration.
The new measures are aimed at strengthening supervision and management of customs directors, and preventing corruption from its' roots, an official of the administration said.
Key auditing areas will cover general administrating, fees and tax collection and handover, use of power in application granting, handling of smuggling cases and confiscated goods, management of customs finance, among others.
The official said all directors will have to receive auditing from a superior level before they leave their current position. If necessary, a superior auditing department can do a surprise audit.
"The new measures will be a kind of restriction to customs directors," said the official. "They will be under pressure to seriously carry out their duty according to law, and run the customs in a clean manner."
(Xinhua 02/22/2001)
