The discipline authority in south China's Guangdong Province has
banned government officials from accepting gifts or traveling
abroad without approval during the coming Mid-Autumn Day and
week-long National Day vacations.
The Guangdong provincial commission for disciplinary inspection
of the Communist Party of China (CPC) issued the notification on
Tuesday.
The order aims to stamp out corruption through gifts to gain
influence or favor, considered common during holidays or
festivals.
The order also prevents government officials, especially
high-ranking ones, using public money to treat their friends or
relatives to dinner, or pay for travel for themselves and their
subordinates.
Travel plans must be approved by superiors in advance.
The families of government officials are also required to refuse
gifts.
Banned gifts include cash, checks, coupons and other valuable
objects, including watches and cars.
Officials cannot take part in any gambling activities.
Government officials are also encouraged to report any suspicious
activities involving colleagues.
But some officials have cast doubt on the ban's feasibility.
"The notice says all government officials must supervise each
other's behavior, but I do not think people will really report
violators to their superiors," Yu Xueguang, an official working for
the provincial government, told China Daily.
Few people can afford to offend their coworkers, especially
their bosses.
Independent monitoring was needed, he said.
However, at the very least, the notice does serve to warn
government officials about their behavior, he added.
(China Daily September 13, 2007)