Li Jinhua, head of China's National Audit Office (NAO) has
called for independent supervision of audit agencies, which often
supervise other government departments.
Li, in an interview on CCTV's "Dialogue" program, suggested
financial departments should carry out a comprehensive audit of
audit agencies, as external supervision was more important than
internal supervision.
He said auditor Zhang Hongtao, who reportedly died from
excessive drinking at a banquet hosted by an electricity bureau,
had violated discipline, but Zhang's case was the exception for the
country's 800,000 auditors.
He welcomed media exposure of the case. "We auditors supervise
others, so why shouldn't others supervise us."
On April 11, Zhang Hongtao, 25, who worked with the Audit Office
in Yanshan County, Hebei Province, died suddenly in front of a
restaurant after attending a banquet held by Yanshan County
Electricity Bureau, which he was auditing.
On August 4, the NAO issued a notice on its website, saying:
"The incident has cast a negative influence over the image of audit
offices and auditors."
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It went on: "Auditors who violate discipline must be severely
punished."
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(Xinhua News Agency September 28, 2006)
