Different jurisdictions and stakeholders the world over should work hand in hand on integrity management and collaborative governance in the battle against corruption, ICAC Commissioner Dr Timothy Tong Hin-ming told an anti-corruption conference.

Addressing the conference on “Collaborative Governance & Integrity Management” organised by ICAC’s Centre of Anti-Corruption Studies ending yesterday (Saturday), Dr Tong pointed out that many encouraging anti-corruption developments in various parts of the world had demonstrated global efforts in building an integrity culture.

For instance, the Mainland Government has recently implemented new regulations on assets declaration to tighten the conduct and discipline of officials at supervisory levels while UK has reformed its bribery law governing public servants and foreign corru pt practices.

While Macao has extended its laws to cover private sector corruption, Taiwan has decided to set up a new anti-corruption agency. In Hong Kong, a new and comprehensive Code of Conduct was issued last year to govern political appointees and civil servants.

At the global level, collaboration between the UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime) and the Austrian Government has led to the establishment of the International Anti-Corruption Academy in Vienna dedicated to professional training for meeting commitments of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC), Dr Tong added.

“With collaborative governance in our heart and in our mind, we are all partners in the fight against corruption to make the world a better place for all. And a large part of our collaboration would be to help each other better implement the requirements of the UNCAC,” the Commissioner said.

Under the “One Country, Two Systems” policy, he noted that the conference was noteworthy to have the participation of eminent speakers from the four areas in the “Greater China” region.

Over 30 experts and academics from the Mainland, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Turkey, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao and The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) addressed the three-day conference.

Conference guest of honour Ms Li Qiufang, President of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences’ China Anti-Corruption Research Centre, said that integrity of public officers was vital to the development of a sound and comprehensive integrity system in society.

Building such a system would require major initiatives including appointing only principled officials as leaders, putting in place a sound declaration mechanism, building a shareable database of public officers’ credibility records, implementing performance evaluation and accountability measures with suitable public involvement as well as perfecting the supervisory regime, she said.

Ministry of Supervision Third Supervision Department Director-General Mr Chi Yaoyun gave an overview of Mainland’s clean government laws and the code of conduct for party cadres.

Peking University School of Government’s Professor Li Chengyan, Tsinghua University School of Public Policy and Management’s Professor Ren Jianming and Renmin University School of Public Administration’s Professor Mao Zhaohui shared with participants their insights into the Mainland Government’s integrity management efforts and the way forward.

To step up academic collaboration with Mainland research institutes on anti-corruption issues, ICAC’s Centre of Anti-Corruption Studies signed academic cooperation agreements at the conference respectively with The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences’ China Anti-Corruption Research Centre, Peking University’s Anti-Corruption Institute and Beijing Normal University’s College for Criminal Law Science.

Keynote speakers were UK House of Lords Member Lord Macdonald of River Glaven, Director of the United States Office of Government Ethics Mr Robert Cusick, HKSAR’s Deputy Secretary for the Civil Service Ms Ivy Law and American University (Washington, D.C.) Distinguished Professor of Public Administration Professor David Rosenbloom.

Lord Macdonald gave participants an overview of how UK’s recent expenses scandal had damaged the public’s faith in their parliamentarians, well indicating the global concern over financial probity of public bodies and officers.

Mr Robert Cusick expounded on the importance of creating an ethical culture within the executive branch with the most senior government leaders’ personal involvement in the process.

Overseas speakers included OECD’s Public Governance and Territorial Development Directorate Principal Administrator Dr Já'e1nos Bertó'f3k, United States Council of Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency Chair Ms Phyllis Fong, UK Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner Mr Tim Godwin, Australian National University Professor Ian Thynne and University of Nottingham Professor Paul Hey wood.

Local speakers included Hong Kong’s Ombudsman Mr Alan Lai, Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Ms Louisa Lai, Executive Councillor Mr Anthony Cheung, University of Hong Kong Professor Simon Young, Chinese University of Hong Kong Professor K M Chan and City University of Hong Kong’s Professor Ian Scott, Professor Ting Gong and Professor Brian Brewer.

Macao Commission Against Corruption’s Deputy Commissioner and Director of the Ombudsman Bureau Ms Endy Tou shared what were required of public officers socially and legally in Macao whereas ICAC’s Director of Corruption Prevention Mrs Jean Au Yeung spoke on how Hong Kong enhanced public sector governance and integrity.

Also attending this academic exchange were delegations from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Ministry of Supervision, the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in Hong Kong, government officials from Shenzhen and Macao, senior officials from various Hong Kong Government bureaux and departments, representatives from local public bodies as well as academics from the Mainland and local universities.