Officials lost promotions over false information reports

The reporting system started in 2010, when a Party regulation was imposed requiring officials to disclose personal information to the human resources departments of the Party and government annually, although there was little inspection in the beginning.

Closer inspections of the personal information in 2014 was part of a broad move to supervise officials more strictly, and inspection results were tied to promotions.

Inspections were conducted mainly through random checks of the personal information the official handed in on a form.

The form, released by the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee in January, consists of two parts. One part deals with basic information about the official and his or her children, including marital status and travel abroad; the other deals with the official's wealth, including real estate, salaries or other income.

Both parts require specific and detailed information. For example, questions ask when the official, or his or her spouse or children, traveled abroad for private reasons, where they went, whether the trip involved tourism or visits to family or friends, whether the officials' children married foreigners and whether any had immigrated to another country.

An official's wealth－including such things as painting or calligraphy collections, income from book publishing, family investments in stock markets or companies－must be reported honestly. Otherwise the official will not be promoted.

Mao Shoulong, a professor of public governance at Renmin University of China, said the reporting and inspection system provides a helping hand for the ongoing anti-corruption campaign.

"It will help officials figure out which information cannot be concealed, and they will avoid improper activities related to those areas," he said.