China moves to give anti-corruption inspectors new powers
- New law is likely to strengthen the oversight of both government and Communist Party officials, including measures to take people to court for obstruction
- Exams will be used to recruit a team of ‘clean and loyal inspectors’ for the National Supervisory Commission
China’s top legislative body on Friday passed a new law to strengthen the power of disciplinary inspectors to tackle corruption and misconduct among government and Communist Party officials.
The law passed by the National People’s Congress Standing Committee will give inspectors the power to take officials who interfere with their work to court.
The law will take effect in January and provide a legal basis for a new corps of inspectors established as part of President Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption drive, which has snared thousands of officials at all levels.
The National Supervisory Commission was created in 2018 as part of efforts to tie the governance system closer to the Communist Party, by creating a “superagency” that oversees both party members and civil servants.
“The Supervisory Officials Law … helps to clarify the bounds of power and the self-monitoring mechanism, strengthens self-discipline and external supervision, ensures that state supervisory powers are used correctly, and establishes a clean and loyal team of supervisory officials strongly backed by law,” Losang Jamcan, a NPC Standing Committee member, told the state news agency Xinhua on Wednesday.
