China to rotate anti-corruption chiefs of grassroot procuratorates

China will soon begin rotating its anti-corruption chiefs of grass-root procuratorates regularly to step up crackdown on corruption, according to China's Supreme People's Procuratorate.

The move should help to safeguard the integrity of these officials and guarantee their personal safety, said Jia Chunwang, procurator-general of the Supreme People's Procuratorate.

"Anti-corruption chiefs turning corrupt is a matter totally unacceptable to the public and it seriously impairs the credibility and esteem of the state power," a senior lawyer named Wu Shaozhi said.

In 1999, Luo Ji, director of the anti-corruption bureau of the Supreme People's Procuratorate was removed from post because of serious violation of discipline. In recent years, a few anti-corruption chiefs of procuratorates in Guizhou, Jiangsu, Shanxi and Hunan provinces have also been found involved in corruption and punished.

"The rotation system will prevent anti-corruption chiefs from being influenced by their social circles, which tend to grow as they stay longer in a place," said Jiang Lihua, deputy head of the State College of Prosecutors.

"In addition, the system will help keep prosecutors away from the revenge of corrupt officials," he said.

Source: Xinhua