China adopts new law on graft busters

BEIJING - China on Friday passed a new law on graft busters as part of efforts to deepen the reform of the country's anti-corruption system.

The law on "supervisors" -- anti-corruption personnel that staff the four levels of supervisory commissions -- was passed by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the country's top legislature.

The new law, which will take effect on Jan 1, 2022, will standardize the appointment and removal of anti-graft personnel and stipulate their functions, duties, management and oversight.

China in 2018 enacted the Supervision Law and established supervisory commissions at national, provincial, prefectural and county levels to integrate anti-corruption functions and personnel that had previously scattered in related judicial and administrative organs, as well as in the disciplinary watchdogs of the Communist Party of China.

The commissions have the power to investigate conduct involving the abuse of public office and hand out administrative sanctions. They can hand over public sector employees to the prosecutors in the case of suspected job-related crimes.