Party bans extravagance, bureaucracy

2013-01-21 20:02

By (chinadaily.com.cn)

Editor's Note:

Welcome ceremonies, flowers, banners and booze - once lavish fixtures of Chinese officials - have all been restricted under tough new regulations to stamp out corruption.

The Party's ruling authority has ordered senior officials to reject "extravagance, formalism and bureaucracy" in a list of eight new requirements released at the end of last year. The move is aimed at improving the Party's working style and to get more connected to the common people.

The list was swiftly followed by each provincial or regional government releasing their own plans to improve the Party's image. >>

Eight provisions to improve working style

Fewer traffic controls arranged for the leaders' security of their trips to avoid unnecessary inconvenience to the public, and inspection tours as a mere formality should be strictly prohibited," the statement says.

Political Bureau members are not allowed to attend all sorts of ribbon-cutting or cornerstone laying ceremonies, as well as celebrations and seminars, unless they get approval from the CPC Central Committee.

Officials' visits abroad should only be arranged when needed in terms of foreign affairs with fewer accompanying members, and on most of the occasions, there is no need for a reception by overseas Chinese people, institutions and students at the airport.

All members of the Political Bureau are urged to understand the real situation facing society through in-depth inspections at grassroots.

Senior leaders should listen more to the public and officials at grassroots levels, and solve people's practical problems, the statement says.

Strictly regulate the arrangements of national official meetings and major events, improve the efficiency of official conferences and issuing of official documents.

Official meetings should get shortened and be specific and to the point, with no empty and rigmarole talks. Official documents without substantial contents and realistic importance should be withheld, the statement says.

There should beless news reporting on the attendance by Political Bureau members to meetings and activities, and such reports shall depend on work needs, news value and social effects. Publications regarding seniors officials' work and activities are also restricted. >>


Authorities in Beijing have vowed to improve by cutting down on paper waste, reducing the number of meetings, down-sizing traffic control during officials' visits, and exercising frugal spending. Head of Beijing Guo Jinlong said municipal officials will firmly carry out 15 rules, focusing on cutting official inspections. meetings and improving news reporting. The city vows to make great progress in three aspects: simplifying receptions, improving the quality of news reports, enhancing inspections and surveys to solve problems. >>	Shanghai has urged municipal leaders to improve research and inspection at grassroots level, cut unnecessary meetings, regulate activities related to foreign affairs, and make news reports on the local government and the Party more efficient in a bid to win the trust and support from the people. "We must implement the new rules. If we only talk the talk, we will harvest the opposite result and incur aversion from the people," said Han Zheng, Party chief of Shanghai municipal Party committee. >>

The Tianjin Municipality government has ordered senior officials to make inspections for at least two months within a year to under-developed regions to learn about difficulties and try to find solutions. During inspections, receptions must be simplified and the number of escort members should be reduced. Municipal-level officials are not allowed to attend commercial activities like expos, founding ceremonies, seminars and ribbon-cutting ceremonies. >>	Officials in Zhejiang province should spend more time in grassroots areas that have deep difficulties and complicated situations. Inspection tours as a mere formality should be prohibited. Random inspections are encouraged. The number of conference should be reduced and strictly controlled. Congratulatory letters and inscriptions by provincial leaders are prohibited. >>

Hunan province officials must go deep into the grassroots to understand people better. Inspection tours as a mere formality should be prohibited, and receptions in airports, railway stations and highway exits are prohibited under a list nine rules released in Hunan on Dec 26. Officials also ordered the number of conferences be decreased and their scale strictly restricted. Trips unrelated to conferences are also prohibited. The length and amount of official documents published should be cut. Official documents should attach more importance to efficiency and be helpful to actually solve problems. >>	Fujian province has ordered officials to investigate grassroots areas that have difficulties and complicated situations. Inspection tours as a mere formality should be prohibited. Random inspections are encouraged. Work receptions should be simplified. The number and scale of conferences and official trips should be decreased. Official trips unrelated to conferences should be axed and officials should take part in less ribbon-cutting and foundation-laying ceremonies. Decorations for meetings should be banned. Reports on provincial leader's conferences should be cut and more emphasis given to the people. >>

Hubei province has ruled conferences held by provincial departments should not be more than once per year; No provincial-level meetings should be held during busy farming seasons and during flood control and drought relief periods except for special situations. Provincial leaders who assume double positions cannot attend ribbon-cutting and foundation laying ceremonies. Official documents should be no more than 3,500 Chinese characters, and inspection reports should be less than 3,500 characters. >>	Shandong's 10 rules ask local officials to deepen their understanding and research especially at grassroots level by visiting an areas for at least for two months a year. The rules calls for a reduction of meetings especially unnecessary commemorations, symposiums and commendations. Officials attending ribbon-cutting ceremonies, foundation-laying or celebrations should be strictly controlled. >>

Jiangxi province has urged local officials not to clear roads and sites, and be escorted by guards before and during an inspection. Officials should reduce meetings and shrink the scope. Simple working buffets are advocated instead of banquets during inspections. The rule also bans New Year visits among government institutes.>>	Jilin provincial officials pledged to actively apply the spirit of the anti-bureaucracy campaign initiated by CPC's ruling body. Jilin officials were urged to avoid "vanity projects" but to seek real benefits for the people. Officials at all levels are required to make inspections to under-developed regions to find solutions to people's welfare problems. >>

Efforts shall be made to streamline news reports about meetings and activities of provincial leaders. News reports about the secretary of the provincial Party committee should be less than 1,500 Chinese characters. >>	The province aims to enhance the understanding of the eight provisions. Improve research and investigation. Streamline meetings and events, and reduce files and briefings. Strictly control visits abroad. Rigorously enforce frugal spending and reduce official receptions. Improve, standardize and simplify news reports. Strengthen the leadership and supervision. >>

Southwest China's Guizhou province detailed ten requirements to reject extravagance and reduce bureaucratic visits and meetings. Provincial leaders are urged to understand the real situation facing Guizhou through in-depth inspections at grassroots levels so as to better and creatively solve the practical problems of people by working with them. >>	Leading officials should spend at least 60 days every year in grassroots areas with a clear theme to solve the major issues which impact reform, development and stability, and the key problems which the people reflect strongly. All meeting should be streamlined and efficient. Various meeting and events should be controlled strictly. Meetings and important activities held under the name of the provincial Party committee need approval. >>

Provincial leaders should effectively improve research and go to grassroots areas for at least two months every year. They should make great effort to solve the livelihood problems of the people. The provincial leaders should have 5 to 7 days every year living and working with people for research. Meetings and events should be vigorously streamlined and controlled. >>	Officials at all levels in the province have been ordered to study and understand the new requirements. Measures to implement investigations and receptions and meetings should be streamlined. Deploy discipline inspection and supervision departments at all levels to strengthen control. Take measures to improve working style and enhance ties between officials and the people. >>

The Ningxia Hui autonomous region issued detailed regulations including reducing business trips, inspections, meetings and documents as well as news reports about the government. Expenditure on trips and inspections should be cut and receptions simplified. There should be no welcome or goodbye ceremonies and dinner should be a standard office meal. The cost of water, power and stationery in government offices should be reduced as much as possible and build an energy-conservative government. >>	South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region has called on officials to reject extravagance and reduce bureaucracy in five aspects so as to win the trust and support from the people. Provincial officials should conduct more inspections in grassroots areas with fewer accompanying members. There is no need for a welcome banner, a reception by local people, a red carpet or traffic control on most occasions. >>

Officials in Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region have been ordered to get back to reality in a list of ten rules published on Dec 25, including senior officials holding group meetings every two months to better understand people's needs. Standing committee member should conduct a study of grassroots areas no less than 40 days a year and reduce receptions with elaborate banners and flowers. The number of conferences should be decreased and the quality improved. Competitions for grassroots people should be overhauled. >>	The Tibet autonomous region released ten rules on Dec 5 calling for a better understanding of people's needs and to reduce and simplify official receptions. The scale and length of conferences should be strictly contained with more work conducted on telephone or video calls. The length and amount of official documents published should be restricted. Official documents should have substantial content and attach more importance to efficiency. >>