China fact of the day

Two weeks ago, the government announced that 58,000 people had been punished for misappropriating money or making unauthorized loans at just two of the big four state-owned banks. In 2003 alone, officials said that the equivalent of nearly $8 billion was pilfered from state-owned enterprises.

Here is the full story.  OK, they have more than a billion people, but that is from only two banks.  And let us not forget:

In the last four years, at least 25 government officials have been sentenced to death for accepting bribes and kickbacks. Hundreds more are serving lengthy prison terms.