China gives more say to graft watchdogs in leadership nomination

Measures were unveiled Monday that will give more power to anti-graft watchdogs in their leadership selection, in a test of reforms aimed at increasing the authority of discipline agencies.

The three documents, released by the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), outline how the leadership of provincial-level discipline inspection agencies should be selected.

The regulations clarify that potential leaders will be nominated and assessed mainly by superior-level inspection agencies and organization departments.

The new rules are important steps taken by the central authority to root out corruption, and increase the independence and authority of the watchdogs, said an unidentified official with the country's special team tasked with discipline inspection system reform.

"The countercorruption drive still faces challenges," said the official. "We haven't won a landslide victory in the fight to deter corruption, not to mention establishing a system to ensure officials are unable to be corrupt."

Currently, each local discipline inspection agency is under the dual leadership of the CPC committee at the same level and the inspection agency of a superior level.

Many agencies are reticent to investigate or report corruption by the CPC committee at the same level, the official noted. Endi