China's top state auditor says the country needs new legislation
to ensure corrupt officials are held to account.
Li Jinhua, auditor-general of the National Audit Office (NAO),
said in an on-line interview that "audit storms", the term for
frequent campaigns, were failing to eradicate corruption.
"We want to promote a more open and transparent auditing system
so as to strengthen the country's legal system construction," Li
said.
China's audit storms have identified seven billion yuan (US$910
million) embezzled by central government departments and 37 billion
yuan misappropriated.
However, public approval quickly turned to disappointment as
accounting irregularities repeatedly occurred in government
agencies year after year and only 94 people were found to be
involved in the cases, he said.
Li pointed out China's top legislature and central government
should improve the accountability system to hold corrupt officials
responsible for their misconduct or crimes.
"The problems we have raised during auditing are getting more
and more attention by central government departments," he said.
For example, top officials of the Ministry of Communications had
held almost ten meetings working on the road fee collection issue,
Li said.
The NAO found 158 illegitimate toll stations on 100 roads, which
had collected 14.9 billion yuan. Meanwhile, 35 road toll services
collected fees for so long that they had covered construction costs
ten times over.
The Ministry of Communications has filed four rectification
reports to the State Council on abolishing the toll stations and
local authorities had been studying how to set a proper charging
period.
"Apart from finding and disclosing misconduct, we are also
focusing on government efficiency," Li said. "They have to realize
that they should not embezzle government funds, but also have to
reduce their costs.
"We still have a long way to go," he said.
(Xinhua News Agency July 26, 2007)