Foreign Perspective

Expect the best, prepare for the worst

By Deng Yuwen (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-08-11 07:53

Early last month, the State Council and the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee issued a new regulations targeting officials whose children and spouses have migrated overseas. The two anti-corruption regulation require officials to furnish detailed personal and family information.

Chinese netizens have coined a sarcastic term, "naked officials", for officials whose spouses and/or children live abroad. It's not known whether "naked officials" are unique to China, but this phenomenon isn't new in the country.

Related readings:  Regulation of 'naked officials' tightened up  China tightens oversight of 'naked officials'

Though precise data are unavailable on such officials, their number is certainly not as "small" as claimed by the government. In fact, the increasing number of scandals in recent years and the exposure of many such corrupt officials or their family members fleeing abroad with ill-gotten wealth show that their number is far from "small".

Of course, it can be safely assumed that all "naked officials" are corrupt. It is undeniable that a large proportion of such officials are somewhat disloyal to the CPC and the government.

By sending their spouses and/or children abroad, "naked officials" not only conveniently transfer their money out of China, but also create an escape route for themselves in case their ill deeds are exposed.

No rules prohibit officials' spouses or children from migrating abroad, but officials have to be conscientious, they have to scrupulously abide by ethics and be loyal to the motherland.

Compared with ordinary people, officials enjoy more favorable conditions to send their spouses and children abroad. It seems that being a "naked official" has become a "fashion" in China. So, why does it seem that there is a race to become "naked officials"? Are they disloyal to the motherland? Given the rising number of "naked officials", how could the government teach bureaucrats to love their country?