Civil servants should be model citizens

Civil servants should firstly be model citizens abiding by the laws. If government officials can't serve as good role models in law and social morality, it is impossible for the common people to behave themselves, says an article of the China Business News.

For Chinese civil servants and Party members, 2013 has been dubbed "a year of bans" because the Communist Party of China and the central government have issued dozens of regulations supervising them, from banning smoking in public places to banning drinking at government reception banquets.

Special: Bans of the Year

It is becoming increasingly "uncomfortable" for officials, who are accustomed to their old lifestyle, to lead a frugal life under the new rules.

Yet, the people are happy to see the changes in officials' behavior in public sites, even if it's forced, and happier to see the government can improve their work efficiency at the same time.

There is already a set of rules regulating civil servants' behaviors in and out of office. What the Party leaders are doing now is making the rules more complete.

The Party chief Xi Jinping vowed to "lock the power in an institutional cage". But the "institutional cage' is not accomplished yet.

The disciplinary inspection and legal authorities should make strict supervision of civil servants and government a regular effort, rather than a temporary campaign.

Strengthening supervision of officials not only tackles corruption and power abuse, but also modernizes the Communist Party of China and the Chinese government.