Spending in the open

The government has taken a fresh step toward promoting openness, especially government spending.

According to a work program issued by the State Council on Wednesday, provincial governments should disclose their information on sangong - government spending on receptions, vehicles and overseas trips - from 2013, and city and county governments should strive to do the same by 2015.

As part of efforts to build an open, transparent and clean government, the State Council demanded in April last year that provincial governments should make fully public the information on their spending in these areas within two years. The inclusion of lower-level city and county governments means another concrete and substantial measure to push for more openness.