Nationalist paper plays down need for officials’ asset disclosure

A nationalist newspaper has played down the need for officials to declare their assets in China following appeals from the public in response to anti-graft comments made by the Russian prime minister.

“Hardly any information nowadays in China is regarded as sufficiently authoritative … thus disclosing officials' assets online is doomed to stir endless controversy regarding their authenticity and fairness,” the commentary in the Global Times said, warning that such measures would risk “dragging society into turmoil fuelled by ideological quarrels.”

The article, by Shan Renping, a pen name widely speculated as belonging to the publication’s editor in chief Hu Xijin, came a day after Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev’s anti-graft comments to Chinese internet users on Tuesday during his two-day visit to China.

“Just like leaders of any other nation, I have to declare [my financial status] … so everyone knows how much their president and prime minister earn, what their and their family members’ possessions are,” Medvedev said when asked to comment on asset disclosure law in Russia. “I think this measure is universal. [Countries in the] whole world are doing it. It’s nothing special.”

Medvedev’s comments prompted many internet users to urge government to implement similar laws in China to help combat graft.

“Official asset disclosure is an unstoppable global trend,” one online user commented on news portal ifeng.com.