270: China tackles corruption in quake relief

Regular RTBH readers may remember an article I posted a while back (post 222) that suggested corruption in construction projects had resulted in poor quality buildings not able to withstand the recent earthquake in Sichuan. With that still in my mind, today's linked article from the BBC leapt out at me. It tells of recent efforts by the Chinese government to cut down on corruption in the use of funds and goods donated to earthquake victims. These efforts include no fewer than 10,000 auditors being dispatched to Sichuan to ensure funds are well spent! So far, 12 local officials have been sacked and a further 31 have been reprimanded. As the article says, corruption is endemic across Chinese society, but it's possible that this crackdown - in response to public outcry and donor concerns - may start to shift expectations. (Photo from BBC online.)