China issues protocol to regulate supervisory agencies

BEIJING - China has issued a protocol for its supervisory agencies, formally operating for more than a year, to ensure proper exercise of their power.

The protocol was issued by the Communist Party of China Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) and the National Supervisory Commission (NSC) as an implementation code of the supervision law, said a press release on the CCDI and NSC website Monday.

The document clarified the procedures and documents needed for supervisory commissions to conduct regular supervision, initiate interviews and written inquiries, verify leads and investigate cases.

It regulated the division of duties and coordination among the supervisory commissions, judicial agencies and law enforcement agencies, as well as internal discipline and supervision.

The protocol was in line with the protocol of disciplinary inspection agencies and the country's criminal procedure law and criminal law, the statement said.

Supervisory commissions should consider it "an important political task" to carefully learn and follow the protocol, tighten up internal discipline, close loopholes and prevent abuse of power, it said.

Officials with the commissions should raise their awareness of law and procedure and stay "zero tolerance" of violations of disciplinary rules and laws, the statement said.

The revised Constitution, adopted in March 2018, listed supervisory commissions as a new type of state organ. Sharing offices and staff with Party disciplinary inspectors, they incorporate existing supervisory, corruption prevention and control agencies within governments and procuratorates.