China Focus: China's corrupt officials warned off festive fraud

The word has gone out from China's discipline enforcers high and low: the fight against corruption and extravagance will not be taking a holiday.

The Communist Party of China's (CPC) Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) has once again asked the public to keep their eyes peeled during the holiday period for officials who dine out on the public purse, fund private trips with government money or make unofficial use of official vehicles. Historically, New Year until Spring Festival is the season when lavish entertaining and gifting with public money run rampant. In a proactive move against festive fraud, a circular issued on Dec. 24 has been followed by a series of specific instructions to discipline inspection commissions.

Purchases of holiday gifts, shopping cards and fireworks with public money are prohibited. Officials are banned from sending or receiving electronic "hongbao" (lucky money). Government cars may not be used for private purposes. Officials are not allowed to enter private clubs.

CPC officials are also banned from funding gatherings of their fellow army veterans or alumni with government money, and from accepting gifts from such groups.

On Jan.1, the CCDI will launch an official WeChat account. WeChat is the most popular messaging app in China, with more than 500 million registered users. The account will have a one-click channel to report officials up to no good. The public can also report violations via hotline, letter, email or through the inspectorate website. Names of violators will be disclosed online. Criminal charges will follow where appropriate.

Residents of Qinhuangdao, a port city near Beijing, are being invited to snap official misbehavior and upload their exposures through the local watchdog's app.

"Small smartphones can capture big issues," said Hao Zhanmin, head of Qinhuangdao's discipline inspectors. "This campaign makes everyone a discipline inspector."

It was three years ago this month that the CPC started its frugality campaign, one which has been increasingly focused on individuals who steal or waste public money and those whose behavior sets a bad example.

New Year and Spring Festival are the peak banqueting period with many celebrations and exchanges of gifts. It was once common practice for officials to fund such occasions with public money. Likewise, those same officials could often be seen dining out, partying or even vacationing at the expense of companies or individuals seeking to expand their sphere influence.

Yang Xiaojun, a professor of law with the Chinese Academy of Governance, believes that instructions issued around New Year have a special significance, setting the tone for the next twelve months. This year's circulars emphasize public participation through online reporting, echoing and emphasizing the current trend in anticorruption rather than setting any new goals.

According to Li Chengyan, a researcher on corruption at Peking University, China's personal relationship culture, with connections reviewed and renewed through holiday banquets and gift exchanges, is an excellent environment for extravagance and corruption to prosper, if people choose to use it that way.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, frequent notices and guidelines on discipline matters have attempted to purify the political air, preventing tiny seeds of transgression from growing into major corruption events.

"Restraining undesirable work styles from the angle of traditional custom and culture is no temporary solution, but a long-term strategic mission," Li said. Endi