New graft inspections kick off in Chinese state organs, firms

BEIJING - A new round of corruption inspections were started as Communist Party of China (CPC) graft-busters marched into 26 state organs or enterprises.

The 26 included the Taiwan Work Office of the CPC Central Committee, the administration for offices directly managed by the CPC Central Committee, the Ministry of Transport, the State Council's Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development, and the "People's Daily", according to a statement released Monday.

The National Railway Administration, China Post, China Resources (Holdings) Co. Ltd., the Aluminum Corp. of China, and the China North Industries Group Corp., a weapons and equipment research and development body, were also among those targeted, it said.

Inspections will last for two months, and inspectors will hear complaints and record tip-offs. This round of inspections is the second this year.

This system is regarded as an effective way to uncover internal corruption and improve workstyle. The central inspection teams are jointly sent by the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee. They have completed six rounds of inspections across the country since late 2012.

Wrongdoings are publicized and some officials have been removed or prosecuted following the inspections. In the latest inspection results, which were publicized last month, authorities slammed all the targeted state-owned enterprises, including PetroChina and China Mobile, for "a string of problems" such as traveling on public funds, stealing state assets and nepotism.