Li Jinhua, head of China's National Audit Office (NAO) has called for independent supervision of audit agencies, which often supervise other government departments.

Li, in an interview on CCTV's "Dialogue" program, suggested financial departments should carry out a comprehensive audit of audit agencies, as external supervision was more important than internal supervision.

He said auditor Zhang Hongtao, who reportedly died from excessive drinking at a banquet hosted by an electricity bureau, had violated discipline, but Zhang's case was the exception for the country's 800,000 auditors.

He welcomed media exposure of the case. "We auditors supervise others, so why shouldn't others supervise us."

On April 11, Zhang Hongtao, 25, who worked with the Audit Office in Yanshan County, Hebei Province, died suddenly in front of a restaurant after attending a banquet held by Yanshan County Electricity Bureau, which he was auditing.

On August 4, the NAO issued a notice on its website, saying: "The incident has cast a negative influence over the image of audit offices and auditors."
 
It went on: "Auditors who violate discipline must be severely punished."
 
(Xinhua News Agency September 28, 2006)