LUNAR STAMPS: A post office worker in Shanghai shows off stamps commemorating Chinese lunar probe Chang'e-3's successful soft-landing on the moon that were released on January 1, 2014 (SHEN CHUNCHEN)

Spearhead of Reform

The Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee made a decision to appoint President Xi Jinping to head a leading group for overall reform, on December 30, 2013.

The leading group will be in charge of "designing reform on an overall basis, arranging and coordinating reform, pushing forward reform as a whole, and supervising the implementation of reform plans," according to a decision adopted at a political bureau meeting.

It will research and decide major guidelines, policies and schemes for systematic reforms in economic, political, cultural, social and environmental sectors as well as the Party system, the document said.

Xinjiang Attack

Eight terrorists died and one more was arrested during a bust on a group responsible for an "organized and premeditated terrorist attack" on December 30, 2013, according to sources with the Public Security Bureau of Kashgar in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

Nine terrorists attacked a police station while wielding knives in Shache County in Kashgar. They also threw explosives and set police cars on fire.

An initial probe showed that the gang, led by Usman Barat and Abdugheni Abdukhadir, had gathered to watch terrorist videos and promote religious extremist ideas since last August. They also raised funds as well as making and testing explosives for planned terrorist attacks, according to police sources.

Police reported no additional casualties. They confiscated 25 explosives and nine knives from the site.

Local social order has returned to normal, according to police.

Asset Supervision

China ordered strict enforcement of a regulation that requires officials to report their assets and their family members' earnings.

The Organization Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee announced in a recently issued circular that authorities will enhance supervision that ensures officials' assets reports are accurate.

A revised regulation issued in 2010 requires officials to report their marriage status, property, and their children's and spouses' earnings, overseas business dealings and other investment activities.

However, some corrupt officials have circumvented the regulation by transferring their illegal gains overseas, or to their spouses and children so that they can avoid punishment.

According to the new circular, officials who fail to report their assets will not be eligible for promotion. They may also face punishments ranging from reprimand to dismissal.

The circular also revealed that authorities will launch random checks of the authenticity and integrity of asset reports.

Electoral Fraud

On December 28, 2013, the legislature of central China's Hunan Province announced that more than 500 local lawmakers had been disqualified, dismissed or had resigned over their roles in electoral fraud.

A total of 527 municipal lawmakers were present at the election of provincial lawmakers during the First Session of the 14th Hengyang Municipal People's Congress on December 28, 2012 and January 3, 2013.

Investigation has shown that 56 lawmakers elected offered a total of 110 million yuan ($18 million) in bribes to 518 municipal lawmakers and an additional 68 staff.

The Hunan provincial legislature disqualified the 56 lawmakers while legislative bodies in Hengyang accepted the resignations of the 512 who took the bribes.

Another five provincial lawmakers who were not found to have offered bribes were still dismissed for "serious dereliction of duty." Three municipal lawmakers who did not accept bribes resigned for the same reason.

Another six who took bribes had already been transferred outside of the city and were no longer at their posts.

Tong Mingqian, then Party chief of Hengyang in charge of the election, was removed from his new post as vice chairman of the Hunan Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference on December 21, 2013.