Specific targets now in sights of discipline inspection teams

After announcing the decision to strengthen the specific inspections of State-owned enterprises and other State agencies at its fifth plenum, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Party held another meeting this week to prepare for them. Different from regular inspections, specific inspections refer to investigations against one particular corrupt official or department suspected, or one specific corruption case. Comments:

The rampancy of corruption in local government agencies has much to do with local disciplinary agencies failing their duty. In its report on the inspection of Shenhua Group, a large coal company, the inspection team pointed out that disciplinary officials of the group were also involved in corruption. Specific inspections will also supervise the local disciplinary agencies.

Deng Fanlian, a professor of law at Central South University, Feb 12

If we compare the struggle against corruption to a war, specific inspections are like task forces that assist ordinary anti-graft agencies in their fight against corruption. Task forces sometimes play an important role that decides whether the war is won or not.

Gao Bo, a senior researcher at the Clean Government Studies Center under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Feb 9

Unlike regular inspection groups, specific ones are directly sent by the central leadership and usually have no interest relations with local officials, which makes it possible for them to break the interest groups formed by leading local officials, and strike corruption without any hesitation. By strengthening specific inspections, the central leadership has shown the nation its determination to root out corruption.

Qiao Xinsheng, a professor at Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Feb 12

Some officials are cunning enough to use the deficiencies of the industries they lead to hide their clues, which is especially serious in State-owned enterprises. Specific inspection teams that include more professional experts can dig out these well-hidden corrupt officials and ensure they receive their deserved punishments.

Xu Xing, a professor at the Zhou Enlai School of Government, Nankai University, Feb 12

By concentrating energy and human resources on one issue, specific inspections prove more efficient in unveiling corruption cases. Many times they also dig out clues that lead to more corruption cases.

ccdi.gov.cn (official website of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection), Feb 9