In the interview with China.org.cn on Thursday afternoon, Li Chengyan, Party Secretary of the School of Government of Peking University, gave his views on how to search for an effective anti-corruption formula in line with Party building and the people's interests.

Li said that the recent congress report outlined the government's future anti-graft plan in view of its means, objectives and prospects. The plan revolves around three key points.

The first and utmost fundamental condition is to monitor government power. The central and local governments should harness power instead of abusing it, he remarked.

Secondly, impartiality and transparency are advocated in order to guarantee an honest and upright government. "Reviewing the details of past cases, we know that corruption always takes place under the cloak of secrecy. If some power in legislation, examination and approval procedures, as well as resources allocation is brought into the open and subject to public inspection, corrupt officials would then have no place to hide," he said.

Thirdly, the supervision mechanism requires reform. Under the current framework, it is feasible and acceptable to decentralize the power of the ruling party: this is a vital move that would bust corruption spawned by the hotbed of centralized power. For example, a standing body is needed to act for the Party's National Congress when it is not in session.

For a long time administrative shackles have caused the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) to dance an awkward tango. It requires empowerment as an administratively independent organization in order to wield vertical power that would influence the central and local governments. He mentioned that the "inspection tour" system has generated positive clout, and cited the firing of disgraced former Shanghai Party chief Chen Liangyu as an example.

In recent years, the government has enacted scores of statutes targetting corruption, and promulgated the Law on Public Servants and Audit Law, in a bid to curb power abuse.

Li said: "The anti-corruption drive has gained much ground but there are still quite a few problems yet unsolved. For example, should bribery criminals receive equal punishment by law? The question has been raised when we deal with cases of graft. Chances are that the people who offered bribes are simply brushed away most of the time."

Another question is raised when Li talked about how to calculate the unexplained properties belonging to corrupt officials. It is hard to calculate if they refuse to own up and account for unexplained expenditures. Yet Li remarked that those kinds of vexing problems would be eventually removed as relevant laws matured.

Professor Li wrapped up his interview by envisioning the most ideal way to combat corruption. "The government could take responsibility and establish a well-rounded inspection mechanism. Society at large could cultivate a "corruption-phobic" ambience in which all Chinese citizens detested corruption." Yet he added regretfully: "Currently people don't feel very shocked unless corruption involves hundreds of millions. It's not a bombshell until it becomes endemic."

Background: inspection tour system

In August 2003, the central government established an "inspection tour" office with five "inspection tour teams" designated to inspect China's provincial governments. As an independent body, they are authorized to attend meetings held by a provincial Party committee, to query related officials, to convene related meetings and to look up related documents. Yet they are not allowed to intervene in provincial government's routine business or to make personal comments on any issues raised while they are present. This new system has greatly assisted in the anti-corruption drive and contributed to supervision over local governments.

(China.org.cn by He Shan, October 20, 2007)