The Internet has continuously exposed corruption scandals among Chinese officials. Harsh judgment of media scrutiny, often aiming at reaching the honest standards of developed countries, is creating more tension and dissatisfaction.
The web is launching a zero tolerance campaign against corruption, but it is also a reality that corruption cannot be fully rooted out for the time being. This contradiction will upset public sentiment time and again.
Some officials are not corrupt but have still been singled out as bad examples for sub-standard activities. The most recent example is Liu Peng, director of General Administration of Sports, caught paying a visit to Xisha Islands where he seemingly received a dodgy reception.
Connections are important in Chinese society where power is also highly concentrated. This has resulted in prevailing corruption and unwritten rules in everyday activity.
An honest government is China's goal. At the moment, governments also need to accept the excessive demands of public opinion, especially on the Internet. In developed countries, officials may be forced to step down due to minor mistakes. This will also happen in China soon.
Authorities must feel the urge to speed up anti-corruption efforts. The current attempts have not achieved the desired results.
Despite public demand for open income declarations, the relevant regulations are loosely implemented. The tacit rules associated with various positions are difficult to sort out.
Unwritten rules of officialdom must be uprooted with a strengthened crackdown on corruption. But meanwhile, society needs to think about building legal ways for officials to realize personal gains, including generous compensation that matches their contributions. For a county mayor who earns only a few thousand yuan per month, maintaining integrity is a tough challenge.
Officials have to make their activities more transparent. Otherwise, convincing the public to raise officials' legal income will be tough.
A revolving door ensures Americans officials to make more money when they return to the private sector. In Singapore and China's Hong Kong, exorbitant salaries for government officials are a cure for corruption.
China needs to design its own schemes to match these. Corruption cannot be eliminated through moral lessons and political campaigns. Prevailing corruption in Asian democratic countries proves democracy will not automatically curb corruption, which can only be solved through comprehensive reform and management.
It is much more complicated than arresting a dozen corrupted officials, but is the only reasonable way.