China strives for accountability in office
Published 4/16/2004 10:01 AM
HONG KONG, April 16 (UPI) -- China ousted 68 public officials on Wednesday for negligence of duty, sending a warning signal to the rest of the nation that the central government is serious about accountability.
Some consider the move a gesture to quench public sentiment against government irresponsibility and corruption; others argue that the punishment of 68 officials is simply the tip of an iceberg.
But public officials are quietly getting the message that accountability is part of their job, and that the good old days of getting away with irresponsible decision-making are disappearing.
Zhang Wen, mayor of Miyun County in Beijing, was forced to step down on Thursday along with his deputy as a result of a tragic accident that occurred in February. Thousands of people had showed up at a park to celebrate the Lantern Festival; one spectator stumbled on a bridge, causing panic and a stampede that left 37 dead and many others injured.
Two others directly responsible for the accident are under judiciary investigation.
Ma Fucai, head of China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), resigned Wednesday to assume responsibility for a gas well explosion by one of his subsidiary companies in Sichuan province last December. He was a State Council appointee, as the company is one of the largest state-owned enterprises.
Chinese leaders approved Ma's resignation over the gas blowout that took place in Chongqing, Sichuan province, on Dec. 23, killing 234 villagers.
Even though the accident took place in the field, under one of Ma's subsidiary companies in southwest China, Ma was held responsible. Investigations found that slack management and lax safety measures caused the explosion, China's worst-ever industrial accident.
The gas explosion also injured more than 9,000 people to varying degrees and forced 60,000 villagers to be relocated for several days.
The State Council's action came in the midst of China's anti-corruption movement, which has characterized the leadership under President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao since March 2003.
The phrase "government accountability system," or "wen ze zhi" in Chinese, is becoming a chic term in the modern Chinese political glossary. Wen warned the nation to make no mistake about the central government's seriousness in holding public officials accountable for irresponsible behavior.
The decision to oust the 68 public officials marked the first major step the central government has taken since Wen began advocating the accountability system in his government work report to the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference in early March.
Among those who lost their jobs were leaders held accountable for two other major accidents in the last few months.
On Feb. 15, a fire broke out in a department store in northeast China's Jilin city in Jilin province. The fire killed 53 people and injured more than 70. Some survivors testified that they could not get out of the building because the emergency exits were locked.
Jilin Governor Hong Hu publicly apologized for the accident in February, but he was not among those who were punished. Thirteen people were turned over for criminal investigations. The rest received administrative punishments or disciplinary action under Communist Party rules.
The State Council has ordered the CNPC and local governments in Beijing and Jilin province to ensure that every individual responsible for the three accidents is held accountable.
"The accountability system is an indication of social progress distinct from the collective decision-making system in the past," Duan Huaming, a sociology professor at Guangdong Administrative Institute, told United Press International.
"Collective decision making has been such a vague concept that it has been used as an excuse to shift accountability whenever something happens," Duan said. "When decisions are made collectively, nobody is pinned down as the responsible party."
Duan said punishing the 68 public officials should not be just a gesture to ward off public criticism, nor should it remain in place only when Wen pushes for it. "It has to be institutionalized and permanent," he said.
The concept of government accountability was practically non-existent in China until Hu and Wen came into office. One month after they assumed power, the two fired Minister of Health Zhang Wenkang and Beijing Mayor Meng Xuenong for covering up news on the outbreak of SARS in China.
After that action was taken the word got out, quarantine measures went into effect, and the public was alerted to the dangers of the potentially fatal contagious disease. Du Gangjian, professor of public administration at the National Administrative Institute, said that the implementation of accountability had turned China around to successfully overcome SARS.
But public accountability is still such a new concept in China that much discussion and practice are needed to institutionalize it. During the CPPCC meeting in March, heated discussions took place on this topic. Even though representatives agreed on the general goal, opinions on how to make it work differed.
Some people say the rules need to be crystal clear and strict so there is no gray area for public officials to take advantage of. Others say decision-making processes should be transparent so that external reviews and public monitoring play a part. Yet another view holds that it is difficult to implement accountability because public officials may become overly cautious and conservative in order to protect themselves.
For more than 30 years, China's socialist system was based on an upward responsibility system in which each level was answerable to a higher level of authority, and efficiency was lost in the "iron rice bowl" safety net, where everyone's job was guaranteed.
As a move towards combating corruption and establishing efficient and responsible government, the insistence on accountability among public officials is a bright spark in the murky picture of political reform in China.
Copyright © 2001-2004 United Press International
China strives for accountability in office
Published 4/16/2004 10:01 AM
HONG KONG, April 16 (UPI) -- China ousted 68 public officials on Wednesday for negligence of duty, sending a warning signal to the rest of the nation that the central government is serious about accountability.
Some consider the move a gesture to quench public sentiment against government irresponsibility and corruption; others argue that the punishment of 68 officials is simply the tip of an iceberg.
But public officials are quietly getting the message that accountability is part of their job, and that the good old days of getting away with irresponsible decision-making are disappearing.
Zhang Wen, mayor of Miyun County in Beijing, was forced to step down on Thursday along with his deputy as a result of a tragic accident that occurred in February. Thousands of people had showed up at a park to celebrate the Lantern Festival; one spectator stumbled on a bridge, causing panic and a stampede that left 37 dead and many others injured.
Two others directly responsible for the accident are under judiciary investigation.
Ma Fucai, head of China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), resigned Wednesday to assume responsibility for a gas well explosion by one of his subsidiary companies in Sichuan province last December. He was a State Council appointee, as the company is one of the largest state-owned enterprises.
Chinese leaders approved Ma's resignation over the gas blowout that took place in Chongqing, Sichuan province, on Dec. 23, killing 234 villagers.
Even though the accident took place in the field, under one of Ma's subsidiary companies in southwest China, Ma was held responsible. Investigations found that slack management and lax safety measures caused the explosion, China's worst-ever industrial accident.
The gas explosion also injured more than 9,000 people to varying degrees and forced 60,000 villagers to be relocated for several days.
The State Council's action came in the midst of China's anti-corruption movement, which has characterized the leadership under President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao since March 2003.
The phrase "government accountability system," or "wen ze zhi" in Chinese, is becoming a chic term in the modern Chinese political glossary. Wen warned the nation to make no mistake about the central government's seriousness in holding public officials accountable for irresponsible behavior.
The decision to oust the 68 public officials marked the first major step the central government has taken since Wen began advocating the accountability system in his government work report to the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference in early March.
Among those who lost their jobs were leaders held accountable for two other major accidents in the last few months.
On Feb. 15, a fire broke out in a department store in northeast China's Jilin city in Jilin province. The fire killed 53 people and injured more than 70. Some survivors testified that they could not get out of the building because the emergency exits were locked.
Jilin Governor Hong Hu publicly apologized for the accident in February, but he was not among those who were punished. Thirteen people were turned over for criminal investigations. The rest received administrative punishments or disciplinary action under Communist Party rules.
The State Council has ordered the CNPC and local governments in Beijing and Jilin province to ensure that every individual responsible for the three accidents is held accountable.
"The accountability system is an indication of social progress distinct from the collective decision-making system in the past," Duan Huaming, a sociology professor at Guangdong Administrative Institute, told United Press International.
"Collective decision making has been such a vague concept that it has been used as an excuse to shift accountability whenever something happens," Duan said. "When decisions are made collectively, nobody is pinned down as the responsible party."
Duan said punishing the 68 public officials should not be just a gesture to ward off public criticism, nor should it remain in place only when Wen pushes for it. "It has to be institutionalized and permanent," he said.
The concept of government accountability was practically non-existent in China until Hu and Wen came into office. One month after they assumed power, the two fired Minister of Health Zhang Wenkang and Beijing Mayor Meng Xuenong for covering up news on the outbreak of SARS in China.
After that action was taken the word got out, quarantine measures went into effect, and the public was alerted to the dangers of the potentially fatal contagious disease. Du Gangjian, professor of public administration at the National Administrative Institute, said that the implementation of accountability had turned China around to successfully overcome SARS.
But public accountability is still such a new concept in China that much discussion and practice are needed to institutionalize it. During the CPPCC meeting in March, heated discussions took place on this topic. Even though representatives agreed on the general goal, opinions on how to make it work differed.
Some people say the rules need to be crystal clear and strict so there is no gray area for public officials to take advantage of. Others say decision-making processes should be transparent so that external reviews and public monitoring play a part. Yet another view holds that it is difficult to implement accountability because public officials may become overly cautious and conservative in order to protect themselves.
For more than 30 years, China's socialist system was based on an upward responsibility system in which each level was answerable to a higher level of authority, and efficiency was lost in the "iron rice bowl" safety net, where everyone's job was guaranteed.
As a move towards combating corruption and establishing efficient and responsible government, the insistence on accountability among public officials is a bright spark in the murky picture of political reform in China.
Copyright © 2001-2004 United Press International
China strives for accountability in office
Published 4/16/2004 10:01 AM
HONG KONG, April 16 (UPI) -- China ousted 68 public officials on Wednesday for negligence of duty, sending a warning signal to the rest of the nation that the central government is serious about accountability.
Some consider the move a gesture to quench public sentiment against government irresponsibility and corruption; others argue that the punishment of 68 officials is simply the tip of an iceberg.
But public officials are quietly getting the message that accountability is part of their job, and that the good old days of getting away with irresponsible decision-making are disappearing.
Zhang Wen, mayor of Miyun County in Beijing, was forced to step down on Thursday along with his deputy as a result of a tragic accident that occurred in February. Thousands of people had showed up at a park to celebrate the Lantern Festival; one spectator stumbled on a bridge, causing panic and a stampede that left 37 dead and many others injured.
Two others directly responsible for the accident are under judiciary investigation.
Ma Fucai, head of China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), resigned Wednesday to assume responsibility for a gas well explosion by one of his subsidiary companies in Sichuan province last December. He was a State Council appointee, as the company is one of the largest state-owned enterprises.
Chinese leaders approved Ma's resignation over the gas blowout that took place in Chongqing, Sichuan province, on Dec. 23, killing 234 villagers.
Even though the accident took place in the field, under one of Ma's subsidiary companies in southwest China, Ma was held responsible. Investigations found that slack management and lax safety measures caused the explosion, China's worst-ever industrial accident.
The gas explosion also injured more than 9,000 people to varying degrees and forced 60,000 villagers to be relocated for several days.
The State Council's action came in the midst of China's anti-corruption movement, which has characterized the leadership under President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao since March 2003.
The phrase "government accountability system," or "wen ze zhi" in Chinese, is becoming a chic term in the modern Chinese political glossary. Wen warned the nation to make no mistake about the central government's seriousness in holding public officials accountable for irresponsible behavior.
The decision to oust the 68 public officials marked the first major step the central government has taken since Wen began advocating the accountability system in his government work report to the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference in early March.
Among those who lost their jobs were leaders held accountable for two other major accidents in the last few months.
On Feb. 15, a fire broke out in a department store in northeast China's Jilin city in Jilin province. The fire killed 53 people and injured more than 70. Some survivors testified that they could not get out of the building because the emergency exits were locked.
Jilin Governor Hong Hu publicly apologized for the accident in February, but he was not among those who were punished. Thirteen people were turned over for criminal investigations. The rest received administrative punishments or disciplinary action under Communist Party rules.
The State Council has ordered the CNPC and local governments in Beijing and Jilin province to ensure that every individual responsible for the three accidents is held accountable.
"The accountability system is an indication of social progress distinct from the collective decision-making system in the past," Duan Huaming, a sociology professor at Guangdong Administrative Institute, told United Press International.
"Collective decision making has been such a vague concept that it has been used as an excuse to shift accountability whenever something happens," Duan said. "When decisions are made collectively, nobody is pinned down as the responsible party."
Duan said punishing the 68 public officials should not be just a gesture to ward off public criticism, nor should it remain in place only when Wen pushes for it. "It has to be institutionalized and permanent," he said.
The concept of government accountability was practically non-existent in China until Hu and Wen came into office. One month after they assumed power, the two fired Minister of Health Zhang Wenkang and Beijing Mayor Meng Xuenong for covering up news on the outbreak of SARS in China.
After that action was taken the word got out, quarantine measures went into effect, and the public was alerted to the dangers of the potentially fatal contagious disease. Du Gangjian, professor of public administration at the National Administrative Institute, said that the implementation of accountability had turned China around to successfully overcome SARS.
But public accountability is still such a new concept in China that much discussion and practice are needed to institutionalize it. During the CPPCC meeting in March, heated discussions took place on this topic. Even though representatives agreed on the general goal, opinions on how to make it work differed.
Some people say the rules need to be crystal clear and strict so there is no gray area for public officials to take advantage of. Others say decision-making processes should be transparent so that external reviews and public monitoring play a part. Yet another view holds that it is difficult to implement accountability because public officials may become overly cautious and conservative in order to protect themselves.
For more than 30 years, China's socialist system was based on an upward responsibility system in which each level was answerable to a higher level of authority, and efficiency was lost in the "iron rice bowl" safety net, where everyone's job was guaranteed.
As a move towards combating corruption and establishing efficient and responsible government, the insistence on accountability among public officials is a bright spark in the murky picture of political reform in China.
Copyright © 2001-2004 United Press International
upi.com |
