Corruption Remains Problematic in China and India - By: Dezan Shira

Despite their recent rise in the global economic landscape, China and India are perceived as two of the more corrupt nations in the world, according to an index released last week by Transparency International (TI).
TI, a non-governmental organization monitoring corporate and political corruption throughout the world, explained that their Corruption Perceptions Index ranks countries according to perceived levels of public-sector corruption and are based on surveys carried out by independent and reputable institutions. The Berlin-based group scored 183 countries on a scale of 0 to 10, with 0 being highly corrupt and 10 being very clean.

China came in at 75th with a score of 3.6 on the 10-point scale, 0.1 better than last year’s evaluation. By comparison, North Korea and Somalia tied with scores of 1.0 to bring up the bottom of the list.

Many Chinese netizens were surprised that their country was ranked as high as 75th, with one Weibo user posting, “this is a joke, China should be placed at the bottom, not North Korea.”

Others doubted the credibility of the report, and questioned how much the Chinese government paid to be ranked so high.

With official corruption plaguing the country on an ongoing basis, many if not most Chinese have lost trust in the government. Some have protested – both violently and peacefully – in cities across China in recent years, particularly in rural areas where farmers have had their land taken by property developers. China’s real estate developers have been known to have strong ties with government officials, making it difficult or impossible for rural residents to seek justice or proper compensation through the country’s legal system.

Meanwhile, India has been placed below China in the TI report yet again, dropping from 87th in 2010 to 95th in this year’s rankings with a score of 3.1.

This drop may have been brought on by a slew of mass demonstrations against corruption held across India this year. Also gaining the attention of international media was Indian anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare who forced the government to come up with new legislation by carrying out a 12-day hunger strike. He even stipulated a deadline for the new bill of December 22. Sources say that if the government can’t put forward the new legislation to parliament by then, Hazare will renew his fast.

Two-thirds of the countries in the index scored less than 5.0, meaning they are perceived as being significantly corrupt. The NGO said it was mainly corruption that drives people to stand against their government, suggesting that “more transparency and accountability from our leaders is needed.”

“This year we have seen corruption on protestors’ banners be they rich or poor. Whether in a Europe hit by debt crisis or an Arab world starting a new political era, leaders must heed the demands for better government,” said Huguette Labelle, chair of Transparency International.

About the Author

2point6billion was founded by Chris Devonshire-Ellis who is also the founder of Dezan Shira & Associates , which advises on foreign direct investment in China

Article Directory Source: http://www.articlerich.com/profile/Dezan-Shira/126343

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