Strictly enforce rules to fight graft

Strict enforcement

Since the 18th CPC National Congress in November 2012 there have been new developments in the fight against corruption and the efforts to build a clean government. To put "power in the cage of regulations", the central government should reform its leadership style and governance. To achieve a clean government, the authorities should use systemic reforms to propel the fight against and root out corruption. There is need to put officials' power (especially top leaders' power), government's power (especially discretionary administrative power) and political power (especially departments' legislative power) in the cage of regulations.

The notion of putting power in the cage of regulations is a mature political philosophy. The history of political civilization is also the history of restricting and supervising power. Although power began to be restricted from the early stage of Western capitalism, such a practice is not the monopoly of Western countries but a shared achievement of all humankind. The CPC's vow to put "power in the cage of regulations" will also lead to new achievements.

China's fight against corruption includes reducing bureaucratism, and eradicating the disease of extravagance and waste, which afflicts even some senior leaders.

A clean government is based on three principles. First, it has to be just, which means it has to protect all citizens' rights. The second principle is adaptability, which means it should meet the demands of the fight to eliminate corruption and the drive to build a clean government, and be prepared to improve itself. The third principle, operability, means the system can be used to produce real effects. To fulfill the three principles, the authorities need to issue transparent, democratic and scientific policies. The "cage of regulations" should be a scientific system that works in practice. If not, instead of fighting corruption, it will breed corruption.

According to official statistics, until July 2012 there were 616 rules, regulations and laws to fight corruption and build a clean government at the Party, state and department levels. Also, there were 1,538 local regulations and documents at the provincial level for the purpose.

We should objectively analyze and assess whether these rules, regulations and laws cover all the crucial fields of the fight against corruption and the efforts to build a clean government, and whether they are strictly enforced. We don't lack laws and regulations but strict enforcement.

The report of the 16th CPC National Congress advocated improving supervision on and restricting power, and establishing an operation mechanism of power with reasonable structure, scientific distribution and strict procedure in order to strengthen supervision on power during the decision-making process and implementation.

The 17th CPC National Congress advocated managing power and officials, as well as establishing and perfecting the structure and operation mechanism of power.

The 18th CPC National Congress emphasized the importance of improving the mechanism of supervising and restricting power to ensure mutual constraint and mutual coordination of the rights of decision making, enforcement and supervision. Mutual constraint requires clear division of different powers to form checks and balances, which can guarantee legal power operation and prevent the abuse of power. Mutual coordination requires moderate decentralization of power. Moreover, there is also the need to establish mechanisms for officials' accountability in decision-making and implementation.

Li Chengyan is head of the Research Center for CleanGovernment Construction at Peking University.