From ChinaNews Net, translated by CDT:
A reporter from the Economic Reference Daily looked into some of he most polluted areas of commercial bribery and learned from insiders about a variety of bribery how-tos.
Construction: spring festival, mid-autumn festival, national day and other holidays are the best times to “communicate feelings” with officials, according to successful real estate developer Li Nan based in a southwestern city. Based on economic conditions of localities and positions of officials, Li has a list of rates in his heart. Take a mid-tier city in West China, 5,000 yuan for ke-level officials, 10,000-20,000 for chu-level, and 30,000-50,000 for ju-level ones. These bribes, or “benefit fees,” account for 2-3% of total development cost for years. [Full Text in Chinese]
Some officials know the game very well, Li says. “I put the money in a manila paper folder and say I got an urgent paperwork to sign off, and the other party instantly understands.” Li has to remind some inexperienced cadres that “don’t tell your wife and children about the money and don’t deposit into the bank soon,” preventing finding by discipline inspection agencies.
For those who bribe not enough, the government relations don’t work and, sometimes, actually are counterproductive. If an official receives a couple of thousand, he/she may hand the money to discipline inspection agencies, in exchange for their “political uprightness or achievement.”
“If you want to know whether a developer is successful or not, just se whether he is busy or not.” Those who are not to be seen over weekends and holidays are mostly fishing, traveling or entertaining with officials.
Another executive with a Chongqing real estate company, Wang Xiaosu, told about a land deal that the company successfully secured by promising a small apartment for a state-owned firm manager (the land was owned by the firm). The land was purchased well below market rate. The SOE manager bought a large apartment for less than a third of market price.
