China's bureaucracy overhaul 'fruitful'

Grassroots violations still serious

Despite the achievements in the CPC's anti-extravagance drive, grassroots officials are still considered the most at risk for violations of the "eight-point" rules.

Statistics from the CCDI showed that nearly 99 percent of the violations found by the CCDI involved prefecture- or township-level officials.

The discipline watchdog in northwest China's Gansu province has exposed ten typical violations, including civil servants playing games during working hours.

Most of the officials who have received punishments are at or below prefecture-level, the CCDI added.

"It's hard for township-level officials to fulfill supervisory duties as discipline inspection staff at that level is largely insufficient," said Xue Qingchao, a researcher with the Party School of the CPC Central Committee, adding that there are only two to three officials in some township governments.

Experts and officials called for more efforts to step up supervision and punishment in order to eradicate such violations and further improve officials' working style.

"What the masses are concerned with most is whether the eight-point rules will be further enhanced and implemented," said Wang Shiyi, an anti-corruption expert of the provincial party school in east China's Jiangsu Province.

"Supervision from the public should play a bigger role in further promoting the campaign and building a clean government," said Li Songyu, dean of the institute of public administration at Shandong Normal University.

"The vitality and authoritativeness of any regulation lie in its implementation," said Ma Huaide, vice president of China University of Political Science and Law, adding that anyone who has violated the rules should be held accountable.

The enforcement of the rules can be ensured only by officials' improved awareness and adherence to the regulations, according to Ma.

In order to prevent the resurgence of extravagance, Ma called for strict supervision by discipline agencies and the media.