By Jiang Zengpei
Translated by Wang Jing
Recently, the 2009 annual budget of 114 government departments of Guangzhou has been publicized on the internet with free downloads for the public. "The exposure of the account book" like this has been renowned as the "ice-breaking journey" of the innovation of the governmental financial announcement and drawn broad attention from the public. The website of Guangzhou Finance Bureau was once "out of work" because of the overcrowding downloads. Chinese Version>>
As for this measurement which shows the transparent and publicizing tendency of governmental finance and the broader political democracy, the public opinion has expressed its recognition and praise along with disdain and suspicion. It is said on the net that the voice of the later one is louder than the former.
It is reported by the "Chinese Youth Criticism" that there are mainly two points from the public as to the "account book" "exposed" by Guangzhou: one is "confusing" and suspicious. There are too many items of budgets and the data is over abstract and general. Two is "the clear contents is not worth trusting". Taking a look at the words on the net, there are almost examples to prove the falsity of the report. There is little Credibility.
As for the point of "confusing", I think it is understandable. Not mention common citizens, even if people's representatives or members of political consultative conference will also be confused with a blind mind while watching governmental budget and final reports, because they are not professional persons. Here, a suggestion is put forward. In order to meet the needs of financial publicizing, the existent mode of expressing budget and final reports should be changed in some way to make them understood by unprofessional and common people. However, a process is needed for the change. it is necessary for the public to wait, for reformation is always moving forward step by step, and there is no possibility of achieving it with haste. Since "the exposure of the account book" has "broken the ice", insist and the situation of "confusing" will be solved gradually with the improvement of the expressing of the "account book" and the enhancement of the supervision and assessment of the public.
As for the point of "not worth trusting", I think there might be some suspicion, but it is probable that we are over "suspicious" and "anxious." However, it is the truth that the fact is not reported in an all-round and exact way and some of the facts are hidden. Take the "overall table of the budget of expenses " of the general office of the CPC of Guangzhou for example, though the whole budget is 9.54883 million, only some items like administrative operation, specific service, specific operation, institution operation are simply listed. The "three items of public expense" (reception with public funds, consumption of government vehicles, and going abroad with public funds) greatly cared about by the public can not be found in the budget of expenses. The report is so confusing that the public has every reason to doubt that it is "an exposure of only good sides with no bad sides" and a selective exposure.
It is an important node of establishing a democratic and transparent government to "expose the account". Except for contents relating with state secrets, all the others should be exposed thoroughly. If the exposure is only a superficial one, they government will not only loss the trusts from the public and transparency, but also make its credibility weakened by the feeling of "making shows". In order to "expose" the real democracy and transparency of the government, the "exposed account book" must has indisputable authenticity and honesty. It is said that "honesty, the ration of the heaven and earth". Honesty is not only the root for the behaviour of humans but also the base of administration. Compared with "no exposure", the "exposure" is a solid step toward democracy and transparency. However, only the "exposure" with sincerity will get practical effects.
Nowadays, in order to strengthen the construction of democracy, various political events pursue transparency and events getting publicized are becoming more and more. I think, no matter for what kind of government affairs, truth and sincerity is compulsory for the real transparency, instead of the false or half-true-half-false one. In this way the credibility can be strengthened in stead of weakened. So as the reporting of officials' properties, which has been gaining many supports nowadays. In order to be exposed transparently, and avoid the situation of "not worth trusting", "sincerity" and "honesty" must be caught.