Transparent spending

The disclosure of public spending on government cars, overseas trips and official banquets is the first step toward cutting the unnecessary waste of taxpayers' money and realizing clean and honest governance.

At its meeting on Wednesday, the State Council decided that the budget of the central government for such expenditures would be disclosed in June and reaffirmed the government's commitment to cutting the spending in these three areas.

The message is that the central government knows that it must scratch where it itches when it really wants to convince the people that it is indeed serving their interests.