Officials who continued to flout austerity rules punished

The country's top anti-graft department has published a stern warning about the illegal use of public money for personal benefits and reiterated its determination to press ahead with the fight against violations of austerity rules.

The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection earlier this week listed five incidents of senior officials who ignored the eight-point austerity rules and continued to use public money to pursue luxury lifestyles.

A nationwide campaign against corruption and the "eight-point rules", usually referred to as austerity rules, were introduced on Dec 4, 2012.

The rules aim to reduce bureaucracy, extravagance and undesirable work practices of Party members.

With clauses focusing on various forms of corruption, such as banquets at public expense, unnecessary travel and meetings, and unauthorized use of government cars, the rules have played a significant role in the anti-corruption campaign.

Among the five senior government officials who violated the Party's request for austerity, Lu Ziyue, former mayor of Ningbo, Zhejiang province, used public vehicles to bring a hairdresser from Jinhua - a city 500 kilometers from Ningbo - to his place for haircuts since August 2014.

Gu Chunli, former deputy governor in Jilin province, lived in a hotel in Changchun, capital of the province, from January 2014 to July 2015, spending 343,800 yuan ($51,600) in public money. He was said to have attended three banquets for business people from October 2013 to July 2015.

An official with the CCDI, who asked not to be identified, said that the five officials have been removed from their posts or expelled from the Party.

The CCDI said it will dig into any case that involves violation of the rules and make public each of the violations, no matter who the high-ranking officials are.

More than 20 officials at or above vice-minister level have been disciplined for such violations since the beginning of this year, according to public information on the CCDI website.

zhang_yi@chinadaily.com.cn

Research center aids fugitive hunt

Cai Wei, deputy director general of the Department of International Cooperation under the Communist Party of China's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection

What's the role and significance of the anti-corruption research center?

It's the first anti-corruption research institute among the G20 economies to capture the economic fugitives and confiscate their ill-gotten assets. The center will not only serve as the communication platform for the G20 members, but offer intelligence support for setting down the international rules for anti-corruption

Many G20 countries have become popular destinations for corrupt fugitives to flee due to lack of signed extradition treaties and legal differences. After setting up the research center, they will focus on researching the laws and legal procedures in G20 economies and effectively use their expert resources.

Why will the center be set up at Beijing Normal University?

Beijing Normal University is playing a leading role in researching anti-corruption subjects and international criminal laws, both of which are involved with the pursuit of fugitives and recovery of their assets.

The university has cultivated a number of academics and experts specializing in researching international criminal laws and anti-corruption law enforcement. The university has also established close academic exchange relationships with the top anti-graft watchdog and judicial authorities, as well as overseas academic institutions, including the Center of Criminology under Oxford University in the UK and the United Nations Office on Crimes and Drugs.

What's the current status of the new anti-corruption center?

The center will be officially set up in the coming months and will attract dozens of scholars and experts from G20 economies. The center will grasp and timely update a database of professional personnel recommended by Chinese authorities, including judicial departments, the Bank of China and other G20 members.

They will work either full-time or part-time.

Peng Xinlin, secretary-general of the international anti-corruption research center at Beijing Normal University

What's the difference between the G20 anti-corruption research center and the international anti-corruption education and research center?

The international anti-corruption education and research center, based at Beijing Normal University, was established last August and conducts extensive research into anti-corruption with other countries.

The G20 anti-corruption research center will focus on researching important issues concerning hunting down the fugitives and recovering illegal assets in G20 economies.