China dealt with 10,992 cases of commercial bribery, involving
some 3.29 billion yuan (US$411 million), between August 2005 and
September 2006, said a senior official of the Party disciplinery
inspection Wednesday.
"A total of 2,537 cases, or 23.1 percent, were related to civil
servants," said He Yong, head of an anti-bribery group, in an
exclusive interview with Xinhua.
He, also deputy secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC)
Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, said the cases
implicating public servants involve 835 million yuan (US$104
million), about 25.4 percent of the sum involved.
"A total of 68 high-level government officials under provincial
or central government ministries, and 511 county-level cadres, were
involved in the cases," He told Xinhua.
He said severe punishment and a crackdown played a key role in
deterring crimes and stemming the spread of commercial bribery.
He pointed to major construction projects, land transfers,
property transactions, pharmaceutical sales and government
procurement contracts as some of the areas that needed careful
scrutiny.
"More severe punishments will be imposed on civil servants who
are involve in commercial bribery and the government is to
strengthen the management of public servants," said He, adding the
public is encouraged to report any commercial bribery case.
Commercial bribery usually refers to bribes from companies and
often involve a firm paying money to government officials for
special favors.
(Xinhua News Agency November 30, 2006)