Southern Weekend Reveals Discrepancies in Treatments of Cadres at Ministerial Level and at Vice-Ministerial Level

• Author: Qian Haoping

The number of ministerial-level cadres in “central departments” (including party and government systems, social organizations and political parties) surpasses 100 and there are approximately 25 ministerial-level cadres in the National People’s Congress and National People’s Political Consultative Committee. According to a report in China Business Journal dated February 5, 2012, at least 400 ministerial-level cadres went to Sanya of Hainan province during the Spring Festival in 2012.

Different administrative levels imply differences in political, economic, and medical treatments. According to certain regulations, ministerial-level leaders are to be provided with official cars, while those at the vice-ministerial level are not; the cars provided to ministerial-level cadres may cost up to 450,000 RMB, whereas the cars provided to vice-ministerial-level cadres must not cost more than 350,000 RMB. Ministerial-level cadres’ offices must not exceed 54 square meters, comparing to 42 square meters for vice-ministerial-level cadres’ offices. Ministerial-level cadres may...