Premier Li Keqiang gets tough with officials of failure to implement top leaders' directives
Li Keqiang's harshly worded article reflects leadership's frustration that their directives are not being implement at the grass-roots level
Premier Li Keqiang expressed displeasure at the way local officials execute directives from the top and their inaction over the reform agenda, according to an article on the central government's official website.
The article has prompted speculation that top leaders are increasingly frustrated that their instructions are not being heard beyond the walls of the leadership compound of Zhongnanhai.
The official website ran a rare summary of the premier's talk during the State Council meeting on Friday. In the piece, titled "The State Council would never release empty documents", Li castigated local officials for not doing more to carry out directives from the top authorities.
"Many government officials hold the belief that 'doing nothing is better than doing something wrong'," Li was quoted as saying. "Such mediocre and slothful management is also a type of corruption, because it is irresponsible to the people and the country."
The article said Li made his remarks "with special emphasis" and "shook his fist".
Li said such official inaction had weakened the effect of the decisions made by the top authorities, and that the State Council would conduct comprehensive inspections of local governments and departments to make sure every policy was implemented.