1st LD-Writethru: President Xi calls for better supervision of reform efforts

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday called for better supervision of reform efforts.

Xi made the remarks at the 26th meeting of the Leading Group for Overall Reform, which he heads.

The meeting was also attended by deputy heads of the group Li Keqiang, Liu Yunshan and Zhang Gaoli. Other members of the group and officials from related central departments also attended the meeting.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, presided over the meeting. He said supervision is aimed at ensuring that reform will not deviate from the direction that the CPC Central Committee has decided on and reform efforts will not fail.

Supervision should target major reform tasks, progress and effectiveness. It should also supervise the officials' awareness of reform, their division of duties and work styles, according to a statement released after the meeting, where a report on supervision of reform efforts in all departments was approved.

Inspection and supervision should be carried out in order of priority, importance and difficulty of reform measures, the statement read.

Efforts should be made to spot common problems in the implementation of reform measures while paying attention to problems of strong public concern, it said, urging supervisors to get to the root of problems and work out solutions.

"Those who have achieved tangible and effective results in reform should be praised while those who have failed to perform their duty and implement reform measures well should be punished," it read.

Attendees of the meeting also approved a plan for the pilot reform of poverty alleviation in less developed areas by exploring hydroelectric and mineral resources, a guideline for strengthening development of industry associations in cultural sectors, and a pilot reform plan for a system of leniency for suspects who plead guilty.

According to the statement, developing hydroelectric and mineral resources is a major systemic innovation for poverty relief, and its goal is to increase incomes for the poor.

The statement noted that the development of various associations in the cultural industry should focus on public interest and rely on both active guidance from Party committees, effective governmental supervision and strict management in accordance with the law.

"Cultural associations should be guided to make full use of their functions to serve cultural groups and talent, boost the industry's development, enrich people's cultural life and stimulate cultural creativity," it said.

It stressed that this development must stick to the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

The statement also noted that the leniency system for guilty pleas must be improved to clarify the legal basis for using the system during investigation, prosecution and judgement.

It stressed that procedures prior to and during trials should be regulated and legal aid services should be improved.

A guideline for creating a disciplinary system for judges and procurators was approved at the meeting, as was a pilot reform guideline for monitoring and law enforcement administrative systems for environmental protection at the sub-provincial level.

A disciplinary system for judges and procurators is important in encouraging them to use power in accordance with the law and ensuring social fairness and justice, according to the statement.

China will also pilot a vertical management system for environment monitoring agencies below the provincial level, under which local governments will have less interference in agencies to make them more independent and authoritative, according to the statement.

Local authorities should shoulder more responsibility in environmental protection, it said. Endi