Anti-graft watchdog finds official misconduct in Xinjiang

Several government officials in Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region were found to be performing unsatisfactorily regarding the implementation of the Party's guidelines and policy to maintain stability in Xinjiang, according to the country's top anti-graft watchdog.

There is new evidence of problems including officials accepting bribes related to mineral and land resources exploration and job assignments for cadres, according to a statement released on Saturday by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Communist Party of China.

Evidence of misconduct among local officials was handed to an inspection team dispatched by the central government – which then launched a two-month investigation in late March.

The discipline inspection office dispatched 14 teams to 11 provincial governments, a central ministry, a State-owned enterprise and a university - to collect information about allegations of official corruption.

During the investigation, inspectors met those concerned in private, received many letters about illegal or questionable behavior and were able to increase their understanding of the situation.

Zhang Chunxian, party chief of the region, heard the feedback of the inspection team on Friday.

He said that Xinjiang is in the middle of a crisis concerning terrorism and separatism, and corruption must be dealt with seriously. He added that whoever violates the law must be punished - regardless of the ethnicity or the position of the individual.

Zhang Jiyao, head of the inspection team, told local officials that they are responsible for improving discipline and monitoring the conduct of officials, and there is zero tolerance for corruption.

Zhang said the information collected by the inspectors has been submitted to the central authorities for further investigation.

Yang Gang, former deputy head of the Committee for Economic Affairs of the National Committee of the CCCPC, who was a deputy party secretary of Xinjiang, was found to have taken advantage of his position to seek gains for others, including accepting large bribes - and he was also found to have committed adultery.

Additionally, the results of an investigation concerning Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps were reported to the top officials of the XPCC.

The inspection teams found problems at the XPCC involving bribery connected to various projects, as well as issues concerning the purchase of farming materials and land contracting. Some officials were found to be occupying more than one legally allocated apartment and some were also found to be using off-road vehicles with high emissions.