Fujian Governor Xi Jinping yesterday opened the annual session of the Provincial People's Congress but avoided the sensitive issue of the Yuan Hua smuggling scandal in his Government Work Report.
Throughout the 44-page document - a review of Fujian's overall development in the past year as well as an outlook for the coming year - Mr Xi did not make a single reference to the infamous multibillion-dollar smuggling case, which involved dozens of senior provincial officials.
Instead, he merely repeated the importance of honesty among cadres and clean government. He stressed that cadres should follow strict discipline in handling gifts and cash offerings and reiterated that no official should accept favours such as discounts when buying shares of listed firms.
The Yuan Hua scandal first surfaced in late 1999. Since then, a number of high-level Fujian and Xiamen officials have been convicted for accepting bribes and conspiring with smugglers. Former Fujian party boss Chen Mingyi was named chairman of the Fujian People's Political Consultative Conference on Tuesday - an apparent bid to repair the province's tarnished image by sidelining cadres tainted by the scandal.
The consultative conference - an advisory body with no real power - is also holding its annual session alongside the people's congress meeting.
Although the Governor did not mention the scandal in his report, its effect was felt by congress and conference participants. A Hong Kong delegate to the consultative conference said that since a government reshuffle was under way, morale among Fujian officials was low. He said officials and local media had been extra careful in trying to avoid mistakes during the uncertain times.