ABSTRACT
Conservatives and reformers alike have been aware in the 1980s and 1990s that public knowledge of official corruption became a very major cause of antagonism toward the governmentJ8 So the police were enjoined to publicize any efforts against corruption. "Economic crime reporting centers" were planned for Shanghai in mid-1988J9 Similar institutions had already been set up on an experimental basis by public prosecutors' offices in Shenzhen (where the opportunities for official economic malfeasance were many), in Beijing (specifically in its Western district, which contains government offices), and later in Guangzhou and Shantou. The main aim of the reporting centers was to gather information about particular bribery and corruption cases among state cadres.80 Telephone reports were entertained, as well as letters and visits. The prosecutors promised to keep the identities of accusers secret, to avoid retribution from the sometimespowerful officials who were thus investigated.
