Guangzhou lawyer Wu Xiang calls on top officials to lead the way on asset disclosure
A member of Guangzhou's Political Consultative Conference has boldly suggested that disclosure of officials' assets should start at the top.
A member of Guangzhou's Political Consultative Conference has boldly suggested that disclosure of officials' assets should start at the top.
Wu Xiang, a little-known Guangzhou-based lawyer, told attendees at the fourth meeting of the 12th CPPCC Guangzhou Municipal Committee that top officials should disclose their assets first, the reported.
"This is nondestructive to the leadership's image, so please, Mr Secretary and Mr Mayor, disclose your assets first," Wu said.
According to the report, the host of the session had been trying to dodge Wu's comments, choosing instead to give the microphone to other members, who spoke about a variety of softer issues such as soccer and city parking.
Finally, Wu blurted: "Regarding the implementation of officials' asset disclosure, please disclose yours first."
Guangzhou had been flirting with a pilot scheme requiring officials to declare their assets amid increasing public outcry against corruption since early 2013.
However, the task of increasing transparency over the financial status of government officials is difficult, as many hold assets under other people's names, and it is unclear which assets are required to be declared.
reported in August that authorities scrapped almost half of 30 programmes aimed at requiring local officials to disclose their assets in the last five years. The paper said that of the 30 areas in the trial scheme, officials in nine of them did not answer the phone within three days, and those in other areas were too busy to be interviewed.
