Editorials

International meetings

(China Daily)
Updated: 2011-02-15 07:55

Because of its long self-imposed seclus-ion, China is eager to "internationalize". Hosting international events, therefore, has become a favorite means of raising the country's global visibility, with the added advantage that our State coffers appear inexhaustible, and there is virtually no taxpayer oversight on how and how much public money is spent on these events, as long as it is paid in the name of the State.

In some ways, as one of the leading emerging economies, this country has an obligation to play host to some of the world's most important conventions - the Six-Party Talks for instance - but the country's thirst for international recognition has also cultivated an ambitious, and of course lucrative, convention and exhibition industry that is itching to make every meeting and exhibition "international".

Events carrying an "international" sticker draw more attention from superiors, attract higher-ranking bureaucrats, and, most important of all, usually win more subsidies from the government.

The easy money and public officials' obsession with fanfare results in some "international" meetings becoming useless showcases that generate little except cheap praise or self-proclaimed "successes".

Such events are simply a waste of taxpayers' money.

But that looks set to change as the ministries of finance and foreign affairs have decided to "strictly control" any international conventions held in the country. While it would be wrong to call it a timely decision, it is certainly a badly needed one, and one that needs to be carried out immediately and faithfully - we cannot afford to continue squandering money.

There is nothing wrong in controlling the number of international conventions held in the country and making sure they undergo a proper approval procedure and budget oversight. The truth is many of the international conventions held in China in recent years have produced little except expensive bills. Some are simply expensive get-togethers comprising a nominal "symposium" plus wining and dining and expenses-paid sightseeing tours.

This country needs exposure to international practices and we are not against the desire to go international. But we cherish the - perhaps innocent - hope that such exposure will serve as an enlightening process and help our public officials refine their conduct.

The two ministries jointly called for domestic events to follow international conventions and refrain from handing out gifts and organizing free sightseeing trips. This is a practical way to cut unnecessary spending and points to a potential black hole in convention expenditure.

But that is not enough. The new controls on hosting international events will be meaningless unless the budget plans of public institutions are placed under strict scrutiny.

(China Daily 02/15/2011 page8)