The current anti-corruption momentum should be maintained, but the efforts must be upgraded into a higher level, says an article in the China Business News. Excerpts:

Sales of the high-end catering industry declined about 20 percent year-on-year during the Spring Festival period. Waste of food was reduced sharply as well.

The Party’s new leadership notice at the end of last year requiring all officials to improve their work efficiency is the main reason behind the decrease in sales.

Eating and drinking with government money has been temporarily curbed. But how long the effect of the move can last depends on whether or not the real problems can be solved.

A modern government must have a modern budget-control system and effective supervisory powers. If not, fearless officials will continue to squander the money that was saved from lavish banquets.

Preventing officials from wasting money in banquets used to be a difficult task. But the problem seems to have been easily solved after the top authority issued the notice.

This means that so many difficult, or even impossible, tasks will not be that tough once authorities really start facing the challenges squarely.

The Party’s leadership should now build anti-corruption systems to regulate and monitor the exercise of power.

Translated by Li Yang