China's top court reiterated its commitment to cracking down on malpractice, particularly in key areas such as the protection of State assets, environmental conservation and road engineering safety.
Photo via China Daily
On Thursday, the Supreme People's Court released details of four landmark malpractice cases, highlighting the severe damage such offenses can inflict on public interests and government credibility. The court also emphasized the need for robust judicial action nationwide to combat such crimes.
"Malpractice often intertwines with corruption, bribery, economic crimes and safety-related incidents, posing significant social harm," the SPC said.
The four cases involved negligence and abuse of power by officials in government agencies and State-owned enterprises, affecting critical sectors including construction and State asset management.
In one case, a former official surnamed Cao from Hunan province abused his power by promoting large-scale projects despite local fiscal constraints, resulting in substantial losses and hampering sustainable development.
According to the case details, Cao, who served as Party chief of a city in Hunan from 2016 to 2021, pushed forward major projects despite financial warnings and inadequate local resources, leading to 33 unfinished projects.
Investigators also found that from 1999 to 2022, Cao used his positions to seek benefits for others in various matters and accepted more than 24.95 million yuan ($3.69 million) in bribes.
Following a trial, the Changsha Intermediate People's Court in Hunan convicted Cao of abuse of power and bribery, sentencing him to 13 years in prison and fining him 2 million yuan.
The SPC highlighted the case as a warning that compliance with laws and regulations is the basic requirement for public officials.
"Ignoring these requirements not only causes economic losses and harms public interests, but also undermines government credibility, social fairness and sustainable development," it said.
The court urged courts nationwide to continue intensifying efforts against malpractice-related crimes and contribute judicial support to fostering a clean and upright political environment.
It added that the proper handling of such cases is also an important step in promoting a correct understanding of governance performance.
In late February, the Communist Party of China launched a Party-wide campaign to guide its members, especially officials, in establishing and practicing a correct understanding of governance performance. The campaign will run until July.
Describing governance performance as a fundamental issue, the central leadership has called on officials to proceed from reality, act in accordance with the law and deliver results that can withstand the test of practice and history, genuinely benefit the people and earn public recognition through sound decision-making and solid work.