Chinese officials embezzled away more than US$34 billion in government funds in the first 11 months of 2009, according to figures released country’s National Audit Office.
Covered 99,000 companies, government bodies, and public institutions in China, the office found that 234.7 billion yuan (around US$34.4 billion) were misused by government officials from January to November. So far, around 16.3 billion yuan have been recovered, according to a report which appeared in China Daily.
More than 230 people, including 67 government officials, have been handed over to disciplinary authorities as a result of the investigation, according to the report.
The investigation interviewed more than 20,000 government officials – including provincial-level cadres, and heads of large state-owned companies, and 55 Chinese central government departments.
According to the report, the National Audit Office’s director Liu Jiayi said that there have been improvements in the fight against corruption in China. However, embezzlement, waste of money, and false fiscal reporting still existed in many central government departments, he added.
“Criminals are now more intelligent, and covert,” said Mr Liu, according to the New York Times. The office said that money was being lost through money laundering, and the issuance of fraudulent loans. In some cases the government was being cheated through the sale or purchase of land or mining rights.
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, who was attending the national auditing conference where results of the investigation were announced, has urged the agency to remain vigilant in monitoring public investment projects – an area which has been traditionally prone to embezzlement and waste.
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