China graft-busters told to self-cleanse

China's disciplinary watchdogs at all levels have been told to make their training centers corruption-free, as many officials view training as opportunities for sightseeing and hedonism.

The Central Discipline and Inspection Commission (CCDI) of the Communist Party of China said in a statement on Thursday that discipline organs should check their training centers for malpractice and set a good example by rooting out violations from within.

Centers, often tucked away in tourist cities, drain public resources and offer luxurious services exclusively to government employees. Some also host ordinary tourists, but at very high prices.

The CCDI said the campaign will target officials who hide behind training centers feasting and amusing themselves.

Hosting reception activities at training centers that are not in accordance with rules is also a severe violation, the commission said.

It said that problems related to operation, management and finance of training centers should also be rectified the moment they are discovered.

The CCDI has set Sept. 10 as the deadline for its affiliated departments at central and provincial levels to finish the self-inspection campaign.

In a separate notice on its website, the CCDI has asked netizens to report "training activities" that have violated regulations to help them uncover acts of corruption. By Thursday afternoon, it had received more than 150 tips.