Officials in Liuyang, Hunan province, have been told to declare their assets and the financial dealings of family members from this month as authorities try to fight corruption, the South China Morning Post reported, citing state media. The city’s party disciplinary committee is requiring officials at every level to declare their income, assets, investments, overseas travel and use of public vehicles by the end of April each year. In addition, officials must state whether their spouses or children live abroad, and any income or gifts from weddings, funerals or other occasions. The details will be released in newspapers, on television and online. However, observers question the ability of authorities to prevent officials from hiding assets, and the maximum punishment for breaking the law is an internal criticism. Cao Jianming, chief of the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, told this year’s National People’s Congress that 33,546 corruption cases involving 41,179 officials were under investigation for 2008.
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