A hotline linking citizens with local government has been playing an important role in supervising the work of grass-roots officials since its establishment in Shaanxi, an inland province in northwestern China.

The phone number -- 12380 -- which was established in 2002 by the Organization Department of the Shaanxi Provincial Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, has received a number of reports of corruption and dissolute lifestyles among officials , according to an official who oversees the hotline.

He, choosing to remain anonymous, said one-third of the complaints received focused on improper working processes, unclear financial accounts and corruption and dissoluteness.

"It indicates that grass-roots officials must better understand the laws and policies, raise their working ability and greatly improve their working efficiency," the official said.

The cases involving corruption and dissolute lifestyles should be investigated and dealt with soon, the official said.

His office has sent reports to the departments concerned and urged them to resolve the cases as soon as possible.

"And at present, the provincial-level departments concerned are investigating some key cases of corruption and dissoluteness," he said.

Following the success of Shaanxi, a nationwide hotline was established by the central government on March 30.

(China Daily April 14, 2004)