Disclosing assets of mainland elites too big a gamble, analysts say

At the past seven annual meetings of the National People's Congress, lawyer Han Deyun repeatedly called for legislation requiring officials to declare their personal assets.

"There is no law at all on the disclosure of assets at the moment," said the NPC deputy from Chongqing . "We need to make it a legal obligation, otherwise our civil servants will ask 'why should I'?"

Public calls for the disclosure of officials' assets have reached fever pitch in the past few months in the wake of a spate of scandals that revealed the huge fortunes amassed by officials.

First, there was Cai Bin - a Guangzhou urban management official nicknamed "House Uncle" by internet users - who was found to own 22 properties valued at more than 35.5 million yuan (HK$43.65 million) despite having a monthly income of just 10,000 yuan. He was sacked in October.

Then there was "Uncle Watch" Yang Dacai - a Shaanxi province work-safety official who was disciplined in September after internet users posted pictures showing him wearing luxury watches worth as much as 35,000 yuan. He was expelled from the Communist Party this month and his case has been referred to prosecutors.

And shortly before the Lunar New Year, "House Sister" Gong Aiai , a deputy head of a bank in Shaanxi, was arrested for forging official documents. Media reports say she used fake identities to buy 41 properties in Beijing.