Role of people's congresses

Hunan Provincial People's Congress has four times reviewed a local government report on how it has rectified the misdeeds auditors have identified. This is unusual. Such a report is usually adopted after only two readings.

A deputy has even proposed that it be reviewed again, as the report states that the provincial government established a fund of 468 million yuan ($77 million) to support the development of new and high technology in 1999. But a little more than 20 million yuan has so far been recovered, with another 163 million yuan due to be recouped in the coming year. The report claims it will be very difficult to recover the rest of the money.

The deputy has proposed that the leaders in charge need to be held accountable for the loss the government has suffered.