Anti-graft moves vital to China’s continued success

Kudos to China’s leadership for continuing the momentum of its anti-graft measures (“Running private businesses out for Shanghai officials’ kin”; May 6).

Corruption and lack of transparency in regulations are among the biggest hurdles to continuing the economic prosperity China has enjoyed for more than a decade.

President Xi Jinping has attempted courageously to set up a framework to institutionalise anti-corruption measures within the Communist Party and government apparatus.

The vision is to restore integrity and transparency to the civil service and attract the right talent to continue the foundation of China’s economic success.

Building strong institutions is a constant challenge for most developmental economies. An effective public management framework — with accountable organisations, an iron-clad regulatory structure, an independent judiciary and an active civil society — goes a long way towards vaccinating a nation against corruption.

Building up institutions is tough work but necessary in strengthening a key part of China’s anti-corruption strategies.

If Mr Xi succeeds, he would leave behind a legacy of a professional civil service, with selection and promotion based on merit rather than patronage — an effective civil service that can resist petty corruption and restore public confidence in it.

As China’s economy shifts to a slower gear in the next decade, and social structures accelerate, this is an opportunity to make decisive policies and set a foundation for future successes.

Given its population size and geographical complexity, China needs all the help it can get to understand the way successful institutional reforms are designed and conducted.