THE discipline inspection commission of Longgang District in Shenzhen has confirmed that the district judicial chief used public funds to pay for three days of sightseeing in Shanghai and other cities with 24 public servants, during a September trip that included brief official inspections.

    All the people involved have been required to return the public money they spent on sightseeing and personal activities. The judicial chief, He Luhua, has given the district government a written self-criticism, the Daily Sunshine reported yesterday.

    Yang Jinke, vice head of the district discipline inspection commission, said He’s case exposes loopholes and weak points in the district’s management of inspection and study tours by public servants.

    A post appeared on the Internet claiming that, in September, the inspection team led by He spent only half a day meeting with the Shanghai judicial commission to gain security experience. The rest of the three-day trip was spent touring signature recreation and commercial areas in Shanghai, Suzhou and Hangzhou, the paper said.

    The online post also said that all team members stayed in five-star hotels and spent an average of 5,800 yuan (US$921) each person.

    The judicial chief has denied the five-star hotel charge. He said district government approved the inspection tour, which was not a sightseeing tour.

    According to local travel agencies, a five-day luxury package tour to Suzhou, Hangzhou and Shanghai costs between 3,800 and 4,200 yuan, which is lower than the figure the online post claimed.

    People have questioned in online posts why He didn’t arrange the inspection tour before last August, when Shenzhen hosted the Universiade, to better prepare public servants for that landmark event.

    (Li Hao)