IN their fight against corruption, the Chinese Ministry of Supervision and the Ministry of Land and Resources issued a joint circular Monday involving the transfer of land-use rights, the China Daily reported yesterday.

　The circular says that all transactions on land-use rights for profit, such as tourism, recreation and real-estate development, should be carried out through a public listing, by tender or at auction.

　“The practice is compulsory when more than two parties express an interest in the land-use right,” says the circular. Information on the land in question should be published in plenty of time so that as many potentially interested parties as possible can compete fairly.

　The base price should be kept secret for the sake of fair competition, according to the paper. “Government officials found to have improperly disclosed the base price should be subject to administrative or criminal punishment,” the circular says.

　A national inspection is due at the end of the year on the implementation of the regulations, the paper says. (Xinhua)