China ranked third worldwide for bribery cases reported through a new online system in the past year, but the group that compiled the figures said its position might be due to the large number of companies doing business on the mainland.
A total of 148 companies and individuals reported bribery demands on the mainland for the year ending on June 30, behind only Russia and India, US-based Trace International said yesterday.
'The countries with the most business and most international travel have the most reports,' Trace president Alexandra Wrage said in announcing the results for the first year of its online reporting system, Bribeline.
However, the statistics did highlight trends particular to the mainland, including a disproportionate number of police and judges demanding bribes compared with similar economies.
Of the bribe demands reported on the mainland during the period, 85 per cent were requested by those affiliated with the government, including 11 per cent each by both members of the police and the judiciary.
'In a thriving global economy like China, the police are disproportionately high,' Ms Wrage said. 'On a commercial basis, I think I would be looking at an arbitration clause to avoid the Chinese courts.'