Close eye on 'naked officials'

GIVEN THAT THOUSANDS OF OFFICIALS have fled abroad with wealth obtained through abuse of their power, and their first step was sending their spouses and children abroad, it is natural for the government to doubt the devotion and loyalty of those whose spouses and children are living overseas as permanent residents.

So it is little wonder the Organization Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee released rules on the management of such officials in February. Commonly known as luoguan, or naked officials, they are required to report to the organizational department about their spouses' emigration and are not allowed to take leading positions in government and Party departments, State-owned enterprises and important positions related to national security.

More than 3,200 such officials have so far notified the authorities as being in such conditions and more than 1,000 of them have been moved to unimportant positions.