New government offices banned
Source: Xinhua/Shanghai Daily |
July 24, 2013, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
China has banned the construction of government buildings for five years in another step to address anger at corruption.
The directive was issued yesterday by the Communist Party's Central Committee and the State Council yesterday.
Across the country, grand government buildings with oversized offices and fancy lighting have mushroomed in many cities. They are often among the most impressive buildings in town.
President Xi Jinping has spearheaded a campaign to cut through the pomp, formality and waste among senior officials that has alienated many ordinary citizens.
High-end restaurants reported a downturn in business as government departments and state-owned companies canceled banquets.
The directive orders an "across-the-board halt" to the construction of official buildings, and "glitzy" structures built as training centers, hotels or government motels.
Some government agencies have built such buildings in seaside resorts and other scenic spots as a perk for officials and employees who can stay for free or at huge discounts.
Sometimes they open to the public as profit-making ventures.
"Some office buildings use up a lot of money, there are operating costs and a lot of money is spent on people eating and drinking which all comes from government funds, so it's a kind of corruption," Liu Shanying, a politics researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing, told The Associated Press.
The directive also forbids luxury interior design and the expansion of office compounds under the guise of repair work.
It also bans the Party and government organizations from receiving any form of construction sponsorship or donations, as well as collaborating with enterprises, in developing construction projects.
While allowing restoration projects for office buildings with dated facilities, such projects must be exclusively aimed at erasing safety risks and restoring office functions, the directive says.
It notes that some departments and localities have built government office compounds in violation of regulations, tainting the image of the Party and the government and stirring vehement public disapproval.
The directive calls on Party and government bodies to be frugal and ensure government spending goes toward developing the economy and boosting living standards.
Governments that have moved to renovated or newly built locations should transfer the original office blocks to government office administrators in a timely fashion, according to the directive. There are also strict approval procedures for renting office blocks.
Discipline inspection authorities should look into violations related to such projects, the directive says, adding that those responsible for allowing projects that violate regulations should be harshly punished.
There have been restrictions on constructing new government buildings in the past, but they have not always been implemented well at local levels, said Liu.
The offices of some heads of rural counties "may be even bigger than the US president's office," Liu said.
The directive was issued yesterday by the Communist Party's Central Committee and the State Council yesterday.
Across the country, grand government buildings with oversized offices and fancy lighting have mushroomed in many cities. They are often among the most impressive buildings in town.
President Xi Jinping has spearheaded a campaign to cut through the pomp, formality and waste among senior officials that has alienated many ordinary citizens.
High-end restaurants reported a downturn in business as government departments and state-owned companies canceled banquets.
The directive orders an "across-the-board halt" to the construction of official buildings, and "glitzy" structures built as training centers, hotels or government motels.
Some government agencies have built such buildings in seaside resorts and other scenic spots as a perk for officials and employees who can stay for free or at huge discounts.
Sometimes they open to the public as profit-making ventures.
"Some office buildings use up a lot of money, there are operating costs and a lot of money is spent on people eating and drinking which all comes from government funds, so it's a kind of corruption," Liu Shanying, a politics researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing, told The Associated Press.
The directive also forbids luxury interior design and the expansion of office compounds under the guise of repair work.
It also bans the Party and government organizations from receiving any form of construction sponsorship or donations, as well as collaborating with enterprises, in developing construction projects.
While allowing restoration projects for office buildings with dated facilities, such projects must be exclusively aimed at erasing safety risks and restoring office functions, the directive says.
It notes that some departments and localities have built government office compounds in violation of regulations, tainting the image of the Party and the government and stirring vehement public disapproval.
The directive calls on Party and government bodies to be frugal and ensure government spending goes toward developing the economy and boosting living standards.
Governments that have moved to renovated or newly built locations should transfer the original office blocks to government office administrators in a timely fashion, according to the directive. There are also strict approval procedures for renting office blocks.
Discipline inspection authorities should look into violations related to such projects, the directive says, adding that those responsible for allowing projects that violate regulations should be harshly punished.
There have been restrictions on constructing new government buildings in the past, but they have not always been implemented well at local levels, said Liu.
The offices of some heads of rural counties "may be even bigger than the US president's office," Liu said.
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