Calling back unfit officials will work better with precise criteria

SINCE LAST YEAR, THE QIANXINAN Buyi and Miao autonomous prefecture in Guizhou province, Southwest China, has experimented in "calling back" officials that do not fit their current positions and offering training for them. By this February, 1,334 badly performing officials had been called back for further training. Comments:

Have all the 1,334 officials met the required standards after further training? The sample regulation of Qianxinan said those still failing to meet standards after training would be punished; did any of them receive punishment? Being unfit for their positions, no doubt some of them have failed in their duties before, did they get any penalty for that? If there are no penalties for officials failing to do their duty, there will be no pressure and the "call back" will become nothing but a show.

Xinhua Daily Telegraph, April 15