China's disciplinary watchdog urged officials who have traded
power for money to confess their misconduct before the end of June
or else face severe punishment when their wrongdoings are
discovered.
The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) of the
Communist Party of China issued a new set of regulations targeting
official corruption, which took effect on May 30.
The government will show leniency to those who confess their
wrongdoings by themselves within 30 days, according to a CCDI
meeting Friday morning on implementing the regulations.
But those who do not correct their mistakes or violate the
regulations after they took effect will be severely punished,
according to the meeting.
The CCDI reiterated that officials are prohibited from taking
advantage of their posts to seek unlawful profits. Buying
commodities such as houses or automobiles at ridiculously low
prices from those who ask them for favors were cited as examples of
illicit behavior.
Officials must not accept free gifts of stocks and shares or
bribes, the regulations read.
According to CCDI statistics, 97,260 of the CPC's 70 million
members were punished for corruption in 2006.
(Xinhua News Agency June 9, 2007)