Since the founding of government audit institutions in China, they have been earnestly performing their duties of supervision through auditing, focusing on the main task of government work. The number of auditees increased from about 1,200 to more than 130,000 in 2009. Main audit types executed through these years include: Public Finance Audit, Monetary audit, Enterprise Audit, Economic Accountability Audit, Resources and Environmental Audit, and Foreign-related Audit. The Supervision through auditing has played an active role in maintaining the fiscal and economic order of the country, promoting the building of a clean government, advancing democracy and the rule of law, improving macro-control, intensifying reform and opening up, and ensuring sound and rapid development of the national economy.

 

Government audit institutions in China have attached great importance to the full play of the role of supervision through auditing in combating corruption. Over twenty years, catering to the need of fighting corruption of the State, audit institutions at all levels have strengthened the supervision through auditing over key areas, key institutions and key funds, and about 25,000 clues of economic crime cases have been detected and referred to judicial authorities.

 

CNAO started the system of issuing Announcement of Audit Findings from 2002, with a view to making audit findings public in a timely manner and improving the transparency of auditing work.  Up to the end of February 2010, CNAO has published 50 issues of Announcement of Audit Findings, disclosing information of audit findings about 286 projects and institutions concerning government budget implementation, government investment, special-purpose funds and relief funds and materials. The Announcement of Audit Findings shall mainly cover the comprehensive appraisal of audit matters, major audit findings, solution of the problems pointed out as well as the results of rectification by institutions concerned.  With regard to tracking audit over key special-purpose funds and key investment projects, CNAO also issued Announcement of Progress for Ongoing Audit as an experimental practice. For example, CNAO published 4 issues of Announcement of Progress for Ongoing Tracking Audit upon the Wenchuan Earthquake Relief Funds and Materials and 2 issues of Announcement of Progress for Ongoing Tracking Audit upon Restoration and Reconstruction in Wenchuan Earthquake-hit areas.

 

In recent years, government audit institutions in China have persisted in the promotion of the values of scientific outlook on auditing, and scored excellent achievements in improving the overall quality of auditors, promulgating comprehensive regulations and guidelines for auditing, building audit information system, promoting audit theoretical research and advancing cultural development in audit institutions, which shall jointly contribute to the development of auditing work.

 

CNAO has established Auditors’ Training Center and two training centers in Huairou District of Beijing and Yantai City of Shandong Province. At present, CNAO has gradually established a lifetime vocational education framework for auditors.

 

In China, a system of examination and certification for professional qualification of auditors has been applied.   

 

CNAO, jointly with Jiangsu Provincial Government, has established a national-scale institution of higher learning—Nanjing Audit University. At present, total staff reaches near 1,200 and the number of registered students is about 15,000.

 

At present, CNAO has basically established an audit regulatory system, with the Constitution as its main basis, the Audit Law and the Regulations for the Implementation of the Audit Law of the People's Republic of China as the core and auditing standards as professional guidelines.

 

“The Golden Audit Project”, an important part of IT Development Scheme of China, is now under construction by CNAO. In 2005, the first phase of “the Golden Audit Project” passed the verification and check of the State. Currently CNAO is executing the second phase of the project and planning to initially establish the national audit information system before 2010.