See-through mechanism for officials

In an interview with China Daily published yesterday, a professor from the Party School of the Communist Party of China Central Committee said that government and Party officials found responsible for major accidents should never be promoted again "unless they make extraordinary contributions to society in their new positions."

The "expert on government regulations" made the remark while responding to the recent revelation of a series of cases in which disciplined and sacked officials were moved to different places to continue in their posts or even be promoted. Media reports about the cases have aroused public outcry.

The scholar's suggestion that the officials "should never be promoted again" sounds much too conclusive. One cannot rule out the possibility that the disgraced officials are of good nature, and that there was some element of fortuity in their role in the accidents.