China Discipline Inspection and Supervision Newspaper:

Recently, we have noticed that the website of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) has successively reported several cases of violating laws and Party discipline in the field of grain purchase and sales. As the authority in the grain sector, what measures will the CCDI take to effectively manage and supervise the national grain storage? Thank you.

Lu Jingbo:

In order to earnestly implement the important instructions and directives of General Secretary Xi Jinping on ensuring national food security and strengthening the supervision of grain circulation, after the implementation of the revised Regulations on the Administration of Grain Circulation in April 2021, the NFSRA organized a nationwide special law enforcement campaign for grain circulation. A series of measures have been taken to severely crack down on illegal activities in the grain circulation field, effectively safeguarding the order of grain circulation and the legitimate rights and interests of the people. In order to further consolidate and expand upon these achievements and fully cooperate in the special rectification of corruption issues in the field of grain purchase and sales, we have organized the "Year of Intensified Supervision, Stringent Law Enforcement, and Harsh Penalties" campaign this year. This campaign aligns with the directives of the CCDI and the National Supervisory Commission, aiming to propel grain supervision to new heights.

First, we will intensify efforts to strengthen the supervision of the entire chain of grain circulation, focusing on key links in grain circulation and key nodes such as peak procurement. We will severely crack down on illegal activities such as "issuing IOUs," "round-tripping grain," and "challenges in stock release." We will focus on safeguarding the order of grain circulation and the legitimate rights and interests of grain operators. We will conduct cross-provincial law enforcement inspections, implement video spot checks, and conduct annual inventory checks as routine measures to maintain the minimum standards for accurate quantity, superior quality, and secure storage of grain in stock.

Second, we will innovate methods to improve the efficiency of supervision. We will increase the promotion of the 12325 hotline, ensuring smooth channels for reporting information regarding grain-related concerns and effectively leveraging social supervision. We will comprehensively use various means such as "unannounced inspection," "quarterly assessments," "cross inspections," and digitalized supervision to continuously improve the efficiency of supervision. We will continue to promote credit-based supervision, pay further attention and increase spot checks in areas and enterprises with poor credit records and high-risk levels.

Thirdly, we will execute thorough investigations and expedite the enforcement of punishments, upholding a high-pressure environment of stringent management and severe penalties. We will establish a prompt response mechanism to handle leads pertaining to grain-related issues, enhancing the efficiency of lead processing through direct investigations, expedited processing, and escalating for higher-level handling. We will strictly regulate law enforcement actions, strengthen case management, and increase administrative penalties in accordance with laws and regulations. The administrative penalties issued by local grain and reserve authorities will be incorporated into the evaluation of the accountability system of provincial Party committees and governments for farmland protection and food security . We are fully committed to addressing the prominent problems of non-compliance with laws, lax law enforcement, and failure to prosecute law violations.