From The Southern Weekend, via Press Interpreter:
Editor’s note: After Fuling District of Chongqing Municipality presented its cadre observer system to the public last month, it attracted the attention of many people”both supporters and opponents. The Organization Department of the District Party Committee bore a great deal of pressure because of this. This publication intends to present an objective picture of the origin and development of this reform. What perhaps deserves consideration is that despite the controversy regarding [Organization Department’s] method, its courage in daring to test and probe the locality deserves admiration.
……This forum, convened by the Organization Department, was somewhat like a training session; more than ten observers participated in the meeting. Strange faces entered and sat down very quietly, without unnecessary small-talk. Old Jia vaguely recognized a colleague among the other participants, but they did not exchange greetings, and even now they have a tacit understanding [not to acknowledge each other].
In the meeting, the Organization Department briefed the observers on their responsibilities, discipline requirements, secrecy requirements, etc.
According to the tentative plan of the District Party Committee Organization Department, the observers will take advantage of their life circles and social circles”especially the life circles that are difficult for the District Committee Organization Department to scan”to quietly gather information about the leading cadres around them and promptly relay the information back [to the Organization Department].
The information collected by the observers will directly serve as an important basis for cadre appointments, rewards, and punishments* after being investigated and verified by the District Party Committee Organization Department.
–Translated by Amy Jenkins
Click here to go to original article in Chinese.