China says minister quit for personal reasons

BEIJING, Aug 30 (Reuters) China's finance minister for the past four years has quit for personal reasons, the government confirmed today, a day after President Hu Jintao denounced a lack of integrity among finance officials.

The State Council Information Office -- the public relations-wing of the government -- confirmed the departure of Jin who had served in the post since 2003.

''For personal reasons, Comrade Jin Renqing applied to quit and the central leadership has agreed,'' a spokeswoman told Reuters. She declined to give details.

Xinhua news agency said Jin ''was removed from his post'' by parliament, but in Chinese the term is neutral and does not necessarily mean a sacking.

Jin, 63, was a couple of years short of mandatory retirement from a ministerial post, prompting colourful speculation about the reasons for his early departure.

Some press reports in Hong Kong have linked Jin's move to a sex scandal or questionable dealings. In secretive China, such claims are difficult to verify.

But China's president told the Communist Party leadership that finance officials needed integrity and to watch their behaviour.

''Comprehensively improve the ideological and political qualities of financial personnel, especially leading officials at all levels,'' Hu told a yesterday meeting of the Politburo, an elite inner council, according to the People's Daily.

''Promote a new spirit of integrity, oppose malign trends and noxious influences and create a health professional ethos.'' Jin would become deputy director at the State Council Development Research Centre, a think-tank, the spokeswoman said, confirming an earlier report by Reuters. That position gives Jin vice-ministerial rank, a fall from his previous status.

Hu is preparing for a five-yearly party congress in mid-October that is set to consolidate his hold on power for another five years and he has promoted himself as a staunch opponent of corruption and official abuses.

Hu told the Politburo that finance officials must stick to policies laid down by the party leadership and accept strengthened oversight of the financial sector. His published comments did not mention Jin.

Jin will be replaced by Xie Xuren, current director of the State Administration of Taxation.

Ahead of the party congress, officials are jockeying behind the scenes for posts in a new leadership line-up. A series of ministerial changes is likely in the months before next year's meeting of parliament, which endorses party decisions, in March.

The National People's Congress standing committee also named new ministers of state security, personnel and supervision today, without specifying if the changes were because of retirement or other reasons.

REUTERS PD HT1428