Society

Officials must provide info about spouse, children

By Zheng Caixiong and Shen Yifei (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-01-07 08:37

GUANGZHOU: Party and government officials will have to report the employment of their spouses and children if they want to keep their jobs in Guangdong province.

Each year, in the province's annual report, Party and government officials must report the employment situation, as well as the assets and investments, of their spouses and children, according to a draft regulation from the Guangdong provincial committee of Communist Party of China (CPC).

The draft was submitted to the ongoing sixth session of the 10th Guangdong Provincial Party Congress for review on Tuesday.

Hu Zejun, head of the organization department of the Guangdong Provincial Committee of the CPC, said the move will promote honesty among Party and government officials and help clean up corruption.

"It is a new and effective measure to strengthen Party building," Hu said.

The draft regulation also stipulates that top Party and government officials are not allowed to directly supervise human resources, financial affairs and related important sectors in their departments, organizations, cities and counties. The move will prevent excessive centralization of power.

"The enforcement suggestion restricts local officials' power and sets clear boundaries," Hu said on Wednesday.

Guangdong, with a pioneering role in China's reform and opening-up drive, will become the first to restrict the power of its Party and government officials at all levels.

Lai Songling, associate professor in the social science department of Ji'nan University, said the proposed new rule would certainly help improve the leadership of the Party, promote democracy and prevent corruption.