Book on anti-graft rules a hot seller

An employee at an auction house in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, checks watches on Tuesday. Government officials handed in the luxury watches, which they had received as gifts, to disciplinary authorities amid the clean-governance campaign. The watches will go under the hammer from Thursday to Saturday. [Zheng Peng / for China Daily]

A book published last month compiling new anti-graft regulations is becoming popular.

New Rules on Clean Governance after the 18th Congress lists regulations issued after the Party gathering in November 2012 when the new leadership was elected.

At least 17 new clean-governance regulations had been issued by central authorities as of late March, according to the book.

Bookstores snapped up the first 25,000 copies of the book, said its publisher, the People's Publishing House.

The book, priced at 15 yuan ($2.40), is also being sold at a number of online shopping websites including amazon.cn and jd.com. Buyers have to wait for several days after submitting an online order due to the high demand.

One of the best known rules came in December 2012, when the top ruling Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee put forward the "eight-point" regulation, which urged officials to get close to the public by cleaning up undesirable work styles, including extravagance, hedonism and excessive bureaucracy.

"The rules covered many aspects, including boosting frugality, public receptions, buying gifts with public funds, the supervision of leaders, construction of government building, use of government vehicles and buying fireworks during festivals," the publisher said.

Hong Qiong, a senior editor at the People's Publishing House, said it is the first time the agency has edited such a book.

A large number of anti-graft rules have been released in recent years, and if government officials are not familiar with them, they are likely to cross the "red line", Hong told the Beijing Youth Daily.

Yin Zhiming, a lawyer at Guangdong Shangda Law Firm, said that some officials may violate the rules even though they understand them.

"The Criminal Law has specified work-related crimes including bribery and embezzlement, but that cannot stop officials from breaking the law," he said.

Last year, 30,420 officials were punished for violating clean-governance rules, China's top disciplinary watchdog said.

The watchdog began releasing a weekly report on April 8 publicizing the names and misbehavior of officials. So far, 719 cases have been exposed.

Zhou Shuzhen, a professor of anti-graft research with Renmin University of China, said government agencies have improved their work after the clean-governance rules were issued, but they should do more to meet the demands of the public.

anbaijie@chinadaily.com.cn