Beijing party officials required to report marital changes

Communist Party officials in Chinese capital Beijing who get married or divorced must report changes in their marital status to higher authorities, Thursday's official Beijing Daily said, quoting a recent decision by the municipal party committee.

Party officials at or above the level of deputy-director -- the lowest official rank -- should report to the party within 30 days of a marital change, said the decision of the standing committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Beijing municipal committee.

In a revised regulation issued by the CPC Central Committee last September, marital changes have been added to the list of must-report issues for the first time, the Beijing Daily said.

Experts said the change was made as a result of China's new marriage registration regulation, which took effect in October 2003. Couples in China no longer need letters from their employers to get married or divorced, which means a person's marital status can remain secret if he or she likes.

Other issues that must be reported include whether a party cadre has a personal passport or other documents that could be used for overseas travel. CPC officials are also required to clarify whether their spouses or children are involved in or run private businesses overseas.

The new rules are seen as part of the efforts by the CPC to curb corruption.

Source: Xinhua