Departments urged to disclose more information

The State Council has ordered ministries and local governments to disclose more information on public spending, government-subsidized housing construction, food safety and other issues, to curb corruption and promote socialist democracy.

Government departments should keep making government affairs public, as their fundamental norm in governance, and publicize detailed information on more issues, according to a statement released after a State Council executive meeting presided over by Premier Wen Jiabao on Wednesday.

The State Council ordered government departments to make available more data on government spending on overseas trips, vehicles and receptions, government-subsidized housing, food safety, environmental protection, the bidding system for government projects, work safety and land seizures, as well as pricing and charges decided by the government.