Anti-graft watchdog uncovers over 400 corruption cases

The top anti-graft watchdog has investigated a number of provincial or ministerial-level corrupt officials based on the tip-offs provided by central inspection teams since November 2012, when the new leadership took office, one senior official from the Central Inspection Work Leading Group said on Friday.

"Acting on tip-offs to discipline officers is proven effective measure to fight against graft," Zhang Benping, deputy director of the Central Inspection Work Leading Group said in an online interview with netizens on Friday.

Based on the tip-offs, the top anti-graft watchdog has investigated high-ranking corrupt officials including Su Rong, former vice-head of national people's political and advisory body, Bai Enpei, former Party chief of Southwest China's Yunnan province, and Wan Qingliang, former Party chief of Guangzhou, capital city in Guangdong province.

Most of them face allegations of abusing their power to gain benefits and accepting bribes, according to the central discipline inspection commission.

In Shanxi province, where inspectors were dispatched late last year, four senior provincial-level officials have been investigated, he said.

Between March and October, the central inspection team conducted the first round of inspections in ten provinces and regions this year and found more than 400 corruption cases involving bureau-level officials in three regions - Hainan, Tianjin and Shandong, said Wang Ying, senior inspector from Central Inspection Work Leading Group to netizens.

"Most of the corrupt officials allegedly abused their powers to help some enterprises gain benefits in land bidding, engineering construction, and mining development, or neglected their supervisory duties or lead corrupt lives," she said.

For example, in Henan province, between March and October, the Henan provincial discipline inspection authority investigated several bureau-level officials for corruption issues, including Liu Guoqing, former Party chief in Zhumadian city, and Liu Changchun, former Party chief in Kaifeng city.

After discovering the problems, they immediately informed local Party leaders to supervise relevant governmental officers. In addition, they provided clues to local anti-graft authorities and asked them to make further investigation of corrupt officials.

"At present, all the Party leaders in relevant regions have reported their correction measures and some corrupt officials have been put under investigation by discipline officials," said Wang.

Apart from conducting regular inspection of local areas, they will pay special attention to central governmental authorities and administrations.

Since November 2012, the central inspection teams have conducted four rounds of inspection to 31 provinces and regions nationally, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, six central enterprises and two public institutions. They plan to inspect 280 regions and work units within five years.

Hong Daode, a law professor, said, "the top anti-graft watchdog will improve its inspection work, paying particular attention to central administrations, which will serve as deterrent to senior corrupt officials."