生活英语|free-fall demotion 断崖式降级

Yan Shiyuan, a former member of the Shandong provincial^{1 Party committee, has been demoted from the rank of vice-minister to deputy head of a department for violating Party discipline. This kind of punishment has been dubbed2 a free-fall demotion by the media.}

原山东委常委颜世元因违反党纪已由副部级降为副厅级。这种处罚方法被媒体称为断崖式降级。

断崖式降级（free-fall demotion）指官员职务被非常大程度地降级。2014年，江西委原常委、秘书长赵智勇从副省级连降七级到科级（the rank of office clerk）；云南委原常委、昆明委原书记张田欣连降四级，担任副处级（deputy head of a section）非领导职务。Free fall原指自由落体，也可指大幅度跌落或降低，譬如，The price did a free fall.（价格一落千丈。）

断崖式降级意味着处分违纪官员（officials who violate the Party's discipline）的力度在加强。虽然这类问题官员没涉嫌违法犯罪，但根据《公务员法》、《行政机关公务员处分条例》、《中共纪律处分条例》等有关规定，对那些违纪而不违法的官员（officials who violate the Party's discipline but don't violate the law）也有相应的处分，其中降级就是一种。高官降级可以起到警示和震慑用途，成为新的反腐举措（new move in the anti-corruption campaign）。