August 29, 2012
Translated by Zhang Dian

Editors from the EO's Chinese website publish a daily collection of extracts from commentary pieces that have appeared in the mainland press over recent days. Every Friday the EO's English team translates a selection of these opinion pieces

Assets Transparency for Officials in Xuzhou

Background
Via Economic Observer:
600 officials in Jiawang District (賈汪區) of Xuzhou (徐州) have publicized their personal assets online and made a commitment to never take bribes. However, a journalist randomly looked at 100 of these officials’ declarations. It showed that 96 of them had the exact same declaration: Just one house and salary without any illegal income.

Commentary:

If one official chooses to unveil his assets while another doesn’t, it's a kind of disparity. And this will render assets transparency meaningless and void. In addition, people will never know when the system has become sound.
The Beijing News (新京報)
Original article: [Chinese]

There’s a big difference between those who have the attitude of resolving to take action in assets transparency and those who wish to delay. We must applaud assets transparency since the public expects it. Assets transparency should be spread much more broadly than Jiawang District(賈汪區) in Xuzhou(徐州), with a system of supervision and punishment following suit. We must at least make assets clear to the public before we try to build a complete system.  
Southern Metropolis Daily (南方都市報)
Original article: [Chinese]

In essence, assets transparency is only the first step in building a publicly supervised government. How to regulate power is the key point; and not only the assets of some section-level cadres (科級干部). The personal assets of all officials should be faithfully declared. It should become a common matter for officials to be supervised by the public.
Yanzhao Metropolis Daily (燕趙都市報), a daily paper published by the Hebei Daily Newspaper Publishing Group
Original article:[Chinese]

Our advice for Jiawang District doesn't indicate our disagreement with its unique trial. On the contrary, more officials in other places should be encouraged to make their assets transparent. It should be clear to all that the assets declaration system is a good solution to corruption - which is mandatory for China's development. We should take action as soon as possible to gain people's trust.
Qilu Evening News(齊魯晚報)
Original article:[Chinese]

Arson in Shaoyang

Background
Via Economic Observer:
On the morning of August 27, a female worker who had just retired from the Shaoyang City Water Company (邵陽市自來水公司) started a fire in the conference room of the company, which caused three deaths and badly burnt four others. Shi Yanfei (石燕飛), the arsonist, wanted revenge on the company party committee for only hiring one of her two children. This was unfair in her eyes.

Commentary:

These people in charge should reflect on how many misunderstandings and prejudices there are in people's minds. And this will, to some extent, be an obstacle in the improvement and harmony of society. Pride and prejudice between the powerful and the weak takes place everywhere. If we don’t take it seriously, some much more terrible things may happen.
China Business View (華商報), a popular daily newspaper published in Xi'an.
Original article: [Chinese]

This case strikes the alarm that wherever it is, the more cheated people feel, the more unfair requests they’ll make. Maybe only greater requests can balance their sense of loss. The sense of loss may be the cause of the arsonist's action.
Qilu Evening News (齊魯晚報)
Original article: [Chinese]

Deadly Bus Accident in Yan'an

Background
Via Economic Observer:
Before dawn on August 26, a double-decker sleeper bus crashed into a tanker and caught fire. 36 passengers died while only three survived.

Commentary:

The serious accident in Yan'an(延安) teaches us a lesson about the safety of sleeper buses (臥鋪客車). There's no doubt that we have to hurry in setting up a new standard for safety. In the meantime, we should strengthen the law enforcement of these issues to ensure the safety of sleeper buses by learning from this tragedy in Yan'an.
The Beijing News(新京報)
Original article: [Chinese] 

We have suggestions for whoever is in charge these issues: First, we have to eliminate these old long-distance sleeper buses that have been used for more than five years. Second, in the meantime, a new safety standard has to be made to ensure the safety of passengers and their belongings.
Dongfang Daily (東方早報)
Original article: [Chinese]

Man slapped for not offering his seat to woman and her baby

Background

Via Economic Observer: 
On a bus in Hangzhou, a man was slapped so hard that he bled. He’d failed to give his seat to a woman holding her baby, so the woman’s husband got violent. 

Commentary:

Morality has become an excuse for violence, which is common in society. At present many Chinese people prefer a moral standard other than the law. However, some people actually use violence in the name of morality. Since the moral standard is vague and varies, people who use violence will undoubtedly prefer to cite morality rather than the defined law.
Dongfang Daily(東方早報)
Original article: [Chinese]

Both parties kept silent on this whole issue until one party slapped the other out of extreme anger. Losing control and slapping can lead to nothing but tragedy. Is it the lack of communication with strangers that leads to messes like this? If both parties had the courage and willingness to communicate with each other, there may have been a better outcome than the bleeding incident.
China Business View (華商報), a popular daily newspaper published in Xi'an.
Original article: [Chinese]