Hubei auctions off gifts to public servants

A total of 159 items originally received by public servants as business gifts went up for auction last weekend in Central China’s Hubei Province.

The gifts were turned over by staff from nearly 30 government organs, public institutions and State- owned enterprises in the past two years in Wuhan, capital of Hubei.

China does not allow public servants to receive gifts. Those who take business gifts must hand them in and register them within one month. The auction was seen by many as showing the local government’s determination to fight corruption.

The gifts included jewelry, paintings, watches, electronic devices, wine and stamps. The auction netted 593,700 yuan ($ 86,218). About 200 local residents joined the auction. Of the 159 items, 155 were sold.

The opening price of an Iphone 6 with 16 Gb storage was 1,800 yuan, and it was sold for 2,900 yuan.

The most popular items were gift cards and coupons, said an unnamed staff member of the auction company. The initial prices of the cards and coupons were 78 percent of their value. Gift cards worth 10,000 yuan mostly sold for 9,300 yuan, with a commission fee of about 400 yuan,” he said.

“In the past, business gifts surrendered by public servants were placed in warehouses, which was a waste,” said an official from the local discipline inspection commission. “By having an auction, we are making the confiscation of business gifts more transparent and avoiding waste.”

China’s anti- graft campaign shifted up a gear following the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in late 2012.