China pans Transparency International for lower corruption ranking

Pic: AP.

By AP News Dec 05, 2014

BEIJING (AP) — A Chinese Communist Party-run newspaper is criticizing the Berlin-based Transparency International for failing to recognize the achievements of the country’s anti-corruption campaign under President Xi Jinping. The criticism comes after the organization’s latest corruption index shows China is faring worse.

In the Corruption Perception Index 2014 released earlier this week, China dropped to the 100th place out of 175 countries, sharply down from last year’s 80th place.

The party-run Global Times said in a Friday editorial that Transparency International has lost credibility, and turned a blind eye to the crackdown that has snared hundreds of officials since late 2012.

In an explanatory note, Transparency International said the rankings are based on surveys of country experts and businesspeople. It said China’s public sector lacks transparency and accountability despite the crackdown.