China to intensify check on officials' illicit partnerships in coal mines

China will continue its campaign this year to force government officials and leaders of state-owned enterprises to give up their shares in coal mines, according to a circular issued recently by China's Ministry of Supervision.

The inspection campaign will be intensified by a crackdown on a batch of exemplary cases of officials and leaders who fail to report their stakes in coal mines, read the circular.

Some officials and leaders in the country's coal rich provinces have turned to coal to make money.

The government issued the divestiture order on August 30 last year as a move to improve the safety in coal mines where accidents have been reported frequently.

A total of 4,578 officials admitted they had stakes in coal mines, with a total capital of 653 million yuan (about 81.6 million US dollars) by November 1, 2005.

According to the circular, inspections on blind investment, illicit environment projects, improper land seizure and overdue salaries of migrant workers are also on the Ministry's top agenda in 2006.

Source: Xinhua