Comment

Beijing liaison offices 'incubators' of corruption

By Wang Shichuan (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-01-26 09:27

It is no doubt that the Beijing liaison offices set up by local governments and companies have already become symbols of power and money. Every now and then, the offices are exposed in connection with corruption scandals.

So, some people have called the Beijing liaison offices "corruption offices". Besides, many liaison offices are combinations of government offices and businesses. They are brokers of power as well as businesses. Some even have invested in real estate.

Due to these problems, the public has been calling for cuts to Beijing liaison offices in recent years. Now, people are happy to learn that thousands of such liaison offices will indeed close within half a year.

There are two main functions for the liaison offices. First, they communicate with ministries and commissions to get programs and funds. Second, they provide various services and convenience for important local officials. Someone has summarized their goals as "pleasing leaders, attracting investments and working for the programs in every possible way".

Without working with the ministries and commissions, the liaison offices would not be able to get the programs and funding.

Professor Li Chengyan of the School of Government at Peking University said there had been a large flexible space in the financial management, examination and approval by ministries and commissions. The liaison offices will have to work harder to get more money, since "a crying baby will be fed first".

The system of central governmental finance needs to be improved but that doesn't mean that the Beijing liaison offices should continue to exist. And some offices also have a bad reputation.

There are two ways to solve the current problems. On one hand, it is important to strengthen the supervision of the liaison offices that are not closed and encourage them to transform their functions and improve service standards. On the other hand, it is necessary to increase the transparency of the examination and approval processes and ensure the justness and openness of the use of official power.

However, if the root problems in the system cannot be solved, other kinds of offices will appear after the closing of the liaison offices. In other words, organizations that are similar to the liaison offices in nature will appear in other forms.

(Excerpts of a commentary that appeared in Beijing Times on Jan 25)