Rules issued to govern Party disciplinary process

The General Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee issued rules for disciplinary inspectors on Sunday to better regulate their supervisory powers.

The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection published pilot rules in January 2017 to strengthen self-supervision, which has played an important role in building inspection teams with loyalty, moral integrity and responsibility, a circular issued along with the latest rules said.

The Central Committee of the CPC attaches great importance to disciplinary inspection and supervisory work, and decided to upgrade the work rules as intraparty regulations, the circular issued on Sunday said.

According to an article published on the joint website of the CCDI and National Supervisory Commission, the upgrade shows that the Central Committee is strengthening its leadership on the issue and is determined to exercise strict discipline over the Party.

The rules also reflect the Central Committee's expectation that the rules will help disciplinary inspection and supervisory bodies at all levels perform their duties properly, the article said.

The CCDI and National Supervisory Commission share one office, and the discipline inspection organs now oversee both Party members and civil servants. As the scope of supervision has expanded, raising the public profile, cadres need to be subject to more rigorous tests, the article added.

The new rules lay out specific requirements for the inspection and supervisory process, including the handling of evidence, conversations and correspondence, investigation, verification and trials.

One highlight is that the disciplinary inspection and supervision organs must establish files for leading cadres who are Party members to include information such as changes in position and materials reflecting clean governance.

The circular said disciplinary and supervisory authorities at all levels should firmly implement the rules, strengthen self-restraint and show zero tolerance for violations of the law or Party rules by enforcement personnel.

It also said the bodies should have the courage to fight on major issues of principle and be open to both internal oversight and public supervision.

Xinhua contributed to this story.