SHENZHEN will disclose its government departments’ spending on official receptions, vehicles and overseas trips this year, according to the government’s draft budget, which is being reviewed at the annual legislative session.

    The spending has drawn much attention from ordinary residents.

    The government would establish and complete a long-term mechanism to promote economy and stem extravagance while it would be diligent in maintaining the government’s fiscal revenue to maintain a rapid growth in the current macro-economic climate, according to the report, the Southern Metropolis Daily reported yesterday.

    “Forty-three of Shenzhen’s 92 government departments have disclosed their budgets. However, residents still have the right to know how much money was spent by the remaining departments,” said Wu Junliang, founder of BudgetofChina.com, a nonprofit Web site to promote transparency of government spending.

    It is the second year for the city government departments to make public their budgets.

    However, the officials’ consumption is not included in the disclosed budgets, the Daily Sunshine reported yesterday.

    “We expect the government departments to disclose their budgets in a more serious and effective manner,” said Wu.

    “Such a semi-transparent disclosure will deepen public distrust of the government,” said Wu.

    The city government has drawn up a series of drafts concerning the disclosure of public spending. However, there is still no timetable for the implementation.

    “Many departments of the State Council have disclosed their officials’ consumption, why is there no government department in Shenzhen following suit?” said a deputy at the legislative session, Liu Luyu.(Li Hao)