In China, Government Ethics Is the Most Important Topic

<a>A
front page article in today's New York <i>Times</i></a> involves
allegations of self-censorship by Bloomberg News. But in addition,
it tells a very important story about government ethics.<br>
<br>
The article says that the Chinese government has retaliated against
news organizations, including the <i>Times</i>, for writing about one
subject:  the private wealth and interest of Chinese government
officials. Violence against minority groups, the
poisoning of exported food products, buying up large swathes of Africa, all sorts of horrible stories
are allowed to be published by the foreign press without retaliation. But when
it comes to what, in the U.S., high-level national officials would
be required to be disclose to the public at large, this is where the
Chinese government draws the line.<br>
<br>
The next time someone says that government ethics is unimportant,
tell them how China's leaders feel:  nothing is more important.<br>