Chinese education ministry publicizes overseas trips, receptions

China's Ministry of Education has publicized its budget for government-funded overseas trips, vehicles and receptions in 2011, becoming the second ministry in doing so after the Ministry of Science and Technology (MST) published it in April. In a statement posted Friday on its official website, the education ministry said its budget for overseas trips, vehicles and receptions in 2011 totalled 25.09 million yuan (about 3.88 million U.S. dollars). That included 15.46 million yuan for overseas trips, some 1.95 million yuan for vehicles purchase and maintenance, and 7.68 million yuan for receptions. According to the statement, its budget for each of the three items in 2010 was 15.45 million yuan, 1.99 million yuan and 7.51 million yuan, respectively, with a total of 24.96 million yuan. Known as "three public consumptions," the government department's expenditure in overseas travel, receptions and official cars have long been criticized by the public as "sources of corruption and waste." The State Council, or the cabinet, has repeatedly called on its ministries to publicize their budget information and "provide greater details" regarding how they spent on "three public consumptions." The MST published its 2011 budget in April, saying it planned to spend about 40.18 million yuan on overseas trips, vehicles and receptions in 2011.