No chartered jets for Chinese officials on overseas business

[December 27, 2013]  BEIJING (Reuters) — Chinese officials going on business overseas will no longer be able to charter planes or fly in private or corporate jets, guidelines announced on Friday said, part of a broad government crackdown on corruption and waste.

The rules also require strict limits on the number of people sent on trips and the number of days spent abroad. Provincial-level officials are permitted to stay in regular hotel suites, while bureau-level officials are allowed to stay in standard rooms.

"Without exception, any excuse or method for exchanging gifts or souvenirs is not allowed," a statement on the Finance Ministry's website said.

"It is strictly forbidden to accept, or covertly accept, subsidies from industry units, and strictly forbidden to shift or allot travel expenses to organizations abroad, subsidiary units or companies."

Chinese newspaper frequently report on cases of government officials making spurious trips abroad on the public purse, ostensibly for work when in reality they are going on holiday or engaging in shopping sprees.

Since taking over the reins of the Communist Party in November 2012 and the government in March, President Xi Jinping has vowed to crack down on corruption, which he has said threatens the party's survival.

The government has gone after everything from bribery to gift giving and lavish banquets as it seeks to assuage public anger at widespread graft and the extravagant behavior of some officials.

(Reporting by Adam Rose; editing by Nick Macfie)

[© 2013 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2013 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.