China to name and shame bribe givers

BEIJING - China is to publish the names of people who give bribes in a blacklist starting from next year in a new move to fight corruption.

The list will provide details of people who have offered bribes since 1997, the China Daily said, citing a report in the prosecution office's Procuratorial Daily. Files will be open to the public.

The move follows a pilot scheme in some provinces begun last year that banned building contractors who appeared on the list from bidding for new projects, the newspaper added.

The maximum penalty for taking bribes in China is death. Those who offer bribes can get life imprisonment.

Last year prosecutors charged 1,952 people with offering bribes, the report said.

Chinese leaders have acknowledged that corruption is rampant and warned that failure to crack down on the problem could herald the party's downfall.

Tens of thousands of protests break out nationwide every year, many fuelled by public anger over perceived abuses of officials' power and the widening wealth gap.

The rich southern province of Guangdong has estimated that officials embezzled or misused US$11 billion ($16.06 billion) of government funds over a five-year period.

Chinese government officials are required to report any gifts they receive that are worth more than 50 yuan ($8.76).

- REUTERS