The check-up covers all cadres at county level and above and all government office bearers. Cadres found to have used counterfeit certificates to gain or advance their positions will face severe punishment.

The latest step in the campaign follows the discovery that the counterfeiting of certificates has become a profession in its own right and is almost a national industry.

"We are encountering counterfeit certificates almost every day," said Tao Zhengfen, director of the Professional Qualifications Evaluation Centre of the Shanghai Personnel Bureau.

Some counterfeiters can be found operating in the open. From time to time, they hand out cards to passers-by.

The cards look the same as ordinary name cards but do not contain any telephone numbers. Instead there is a pager number with the words: "Please keep this for urgent use".

The cards offer services ranging from school certificates to technical certificates; from driver's licences to marriage certificates. This particular group of forgers has been in business for 10 years and they promise that once they have the details required for the phoney certificate, "we can give you a satisfactory result".

The price changes according to the certificate to be forged. Personal identification costs more than 100 yuan (US$12.5); a master's certificate, about 250 yuan (US$30); and a certificate for a program manager, 400 yuan (US$48).

Although the forged documents are not cheap, they are still a bargain compared with the cost of actually having to work to get a real certificate.

Parents eager to have more children but hampered by the one-child policy, pay 170 yuan (US$21) and get a false child-bearing certificate.

Just 320 yuan (US$39) provides a counterfeit disability certificate and its bearer can enjoy preferential treatment and take advantage of the benefits available to the handicapped.

The intense competition for jobs is one reason given for the epidemic of phoney certificates. More competition for jobs has allowed employers to require more of their employees.

Job applicants may need various certificates to improve their chances of being selected for a job. Also, most enterprises take certificates put before them at face value.

"Usually we don't check the certificates - we take for granted that all the certificates are true and continue our interview on that basis," said Li Qiang from the human resources department of Motorola in Shanghai.

"But once we detect an inconsistency in any material, we will check again."

Another factor is that in China's transition to a market economy, laws and regulations are not yet complete.

"It's imperative for us to take measures to control and prevent the prevalence of counterfeit certificates." said Tao.

"This is especially so in some important leading posts and in some financial positions where we should be able to guarantee that the appointed person did not fabricate their certificates. Otherwise, the practice will bring great financial loss to our country," Tao said.

The Shanghai Municipal Personnel Bureau has been looking into the problem of forged certificates since 1999. At first, about 10 per cent of all certificates were found to be fabricated and the number is now slowly decreasing. "We are gradually perfecting our evaluation system," Tao said.

In addition, a special evaluation system has been established for people who possess special skills but do not have a high school certificate.

The Shanghai Municipal Personnel Bureau will permit them to work in Shanghai after an evaluation process to see if they are really capable. Those people no longer need false certificates to prove themselves.

Shanghai Human Resources Service Centre launched a project named, "Performance Appraisal Investigation" this May.

The project aims to eliminate and prevent the circulation of counterfeit certificates.

| frontpage | nation | business | HK\Taiwan | snapshots | focus |
| governmentinfo | economic insights | campus life | Shanghai today | metropolitan |