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BEIJING, Sep 5 (Reuters) Chinese military officials face intensified scrutiny for abusing or mishandling the nation's fast-rising defence budget, state media reported today.
The audit rules approved by President and military chief Hu Jintao target senior People's Liberation Army officers disbursing funds and overseeing big projects and purchases, the People's Daily reported.
The report did not specify cases of PLA corruption and waste. But the wording of the rules suggested official alarm.
''Leading officials who carry out economic responsibilities poorly or who have economic problems should be relieved of their current duties and culpability should be pursued,'' state the rules issued by the Central Military Commission.
''Vigorously investigate and punish decision-making failures, implementation missteps, inadequate control and supervision and other problems,'' they add.
The rules appear to reinforce PLA audit regulations announced last year.
China's military brass certainly have their hands on growing amounts of money. In March, the government said the defence budget would rise to 418 billion yuan (61 billion dollar) for 2008, up 17.6 percent on 2007 after years of double-digit rises.
Secrecy surrounds how that money is spent, and possibly squandered. But the many luxury cars with military number plates on the streets of Beijing suggest some PLA officials and their families are doing well.
An editorial in the Liberation Army Daily, the PLA's official paper, said the audit rules were needed to staunch ''extravagance and waste and violations of laws and regulations''.
A PLA navy vice admiral was executed for corruption after he was arrested in 2006 for taking millions of dollars in pay-offs from developers.
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