A college student-turned village chief in Shaanxi province was recently re-elected as a village official despite the objection of insiders. Her success is believed to be related to the millions of yuan her family contributed to her campaign. This may be an isolated case, but the authorities need to supervise campaign contribution to ensure that elections at all levels are fair, says an article in Beijing News. Excerpts:

Donations to charity, commercial investment and campaign contribution are different things. So if a family contributes to charity, the money should not influence the outcome of an election. But if it spends money to get somebody elected or re-elected, then it should be stopped.

Detailed regulations on campaign contribution in the election of village officials are urgently needed because money should not and can not be used to interfere in the matter. A village official should be elected for his personal qualities, not on the power of money. A village official should make a clear distinction between public affairs and private and commercial business, and sincerely and honestly handle public affairs. He/she should also use his/her network in a village, where kinship serves as a bond for interpersonal communication, for common good.

A good understanding of local relationship network and its use for the benefit of all can save a village official a lot of troubles in many areas, including mediation to settle villagers' disputes.

(China Daily 02/07/2012 page9)