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Asia

China, Vietnam seen as more corrupt while Indonesia, Philippines clean up their act: Transparency International report

  • The watchdog’s annual index on perceptions of corruption sees China’s ranking fall for the first time in five years
  • The US drops out of the top 20 as its system of checks and balances faces threats from the Trump administration
President Xi Jinping’s signature “Belt and Road Initiative” is “probably adding to the negative perception of graft-busting as being more for domestic consumption”, according to one expert. Photo: Reuters

China’s rating on perceived corruption has fallen for the first time in five years, pushing it down 10 places to 87 on an annual index by global watchdog Transparency International.

Singapore moved up three spots on the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) to third place, behind first-placed Denmark and New Zealand in second. The higher a country’s position on the list of 180 countries, the less they are seen to be corrupt by the international community.

The United States also fell, from 16th to 22nd position, tumbling out of the top 20 for the first time in recent years.

Hong Kong and Japan appeared in the top 20 of the index, which was released on Tuesday.

It gave the Asia-Pacific an average score of 44 out of 100 in the region’s ongoing bid to stamp out corruption – far behind the European Union’s 66, but higher than eastern Europe and Central Asia.

Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge

“The Asia-Pacific region is stagnating in the fight against corruption. A lack of progress is unsurprising given the prevalence of weak democratic institutions and a lack of laws and enforcement mechanisms,” said Transparency International in the report.

Eugene Tan, associate professor at Singapore Management University’s School of Law, said China’s decline in the index revealed concerns that corruption was still prevalent, despite President Xi Jinping’s campaign against graft since coming to power six years ago.

“The massive ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ is probably adding to the negative perception of graft-busting as being more for domestic consumption,” he said. “China’s poor showing probably has more to do with how its intentions are perceived, particularly in overseas economic activity.”

While public protests against corruption took place in countries such as Malaysia (pictured), India and Pakistan, Transparency International says there has not yet been meaningful action against corruption. Photo: AFP
While public protests against corruption took place in countries such as Malaysia (pictured), India and Pakistan, Transparency International says there has not yet been meaningful action against corruption. Photo: AFP

Last month, China’s Communist Party declared a “crushing victory” in the battle to stamp out graft, while warning that the situation was still tough and the fight must go on.

The party’s graft-busters detained another 23 “tigers”, or high-ranking officials last year – five more than in 2017 – while prosecutors charged 32 provincial- and ministerial-level officials in 2018, 14 more than the previous year. More than 1.3 million party officials at various levels have been caught since the campaign was launched.

A paper released this month by the U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre noted the campaign had targeted “big tigers and little flies” but as corruption had enabled economic growth in China, graft was difficult to eradicate.

Transparency International attributed the US’ slide down the index to growing threats to its system of checks and balances on President Donald Trump’s watch.

“The low score comes at a time when the US is experiencing … an erosion of ethical norms at the highest levels of power,” the report said.

The CPI measures expert perceptions of public sector corruption, and does not focus on private sector graft.

It is a compilation of survey responses from international financial and governance experts, including the World Economic Forum’s Executive Opinion Survey and the World Justice Project’s Rule of Law Index Expert Survey.

Across the Asia-Pacific region, the Philippines improved the most, moving up 12 spots to 99th position.

But experts were a bit more circumspect, saying despite the milestone conviction of former Philippines first lady Imelda Marcos for crimes committed while she was governor of Manila, anti-corruption efforts in the country may not be as strong as the rise in rankings seemed to suggest.

The Philippines moved improved the most in this year’s index, despite experts indicating President Rodrigo Duterte’s anti-corruption drive has “not been very successful”. Photo: EPA
The Philippines moved improved the most in this year’s index, despite experts indicating President Rodrigo Duterte’s anti-corruption drive has “not been very successful”. Photo: EPA

“[President Rodrigo Duterte’s] anti-corruption drive has so far not been very successful,” said Maria Ela Ateinza, chair of the political science department at University of the Philippines. “Courts, especially the Supreme Court, are perceived to be less independent now.”

She said if the courts could uphold Marcos’ conviction, there would be some hope for anti-corruption efforts in the Philippines.

“It will take a lot of reforms in many institutions as well as changes in the culture inside and outside the government to address corruption,” Atienza said. “It does not depend on just one person who happens to be President.”

Vietnam fell 10 places, despite an ongoing drive against corruption. David Aled Williams, senior adviser at U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre, said the country had cracked down on corruption linked to foreign investments, although observers had expressed concerns on whether the government was targeting political opponents.

The CPI report also noted that while public protests against corruption resulted in new governments and anti-graft reforms in India (up two spots to 78th place), Malaysia (up one to 61), the Maldives (124), and Pakistan (117) last year, there had not been meaningful action taken against graft yet.

The index, first issued by the Berlin-based organisation in 2012, is seen as useful assessment of global anti-graft efforts but has been criticised for reflecting the opinions of largely western experts.

Indonesian demonstrators march with a cartoon board depicting the Corruption Eradication Commission arresting corrupt officials. The commission is considered one of the best-performing bodies of its kind in the region. Photo: AFP
Indonesian demonstrators march with a cartoon board depicting the Corruption Eradication Commission arresting corrupt officials. The commission is considered one of the best-performing bodies of its kind in the region. Photo: AFP

“The CPI is essentially an expert opinion survey, which means it can give an incomplete picture of empirical reality,” Williams said.

The index shows there are some bright spots in the fight against corruption in Southeast Asia. Indonesia gained seven places in this year’s index, reaching 89th place.

“Indonesia’s anti-corruption commission is considered one of the best-performing bodies of its kind in the region,” said Williams. “They have had big successes in going after high-ranking corrupt officials.”

In the last year, the country’s Corruption Eradication Commission has gone after high-ranking government officials including a minister and parliament speaker, and dozens of lawmakers.

Additional reporting by Associated Press