2,100 officials of China's ruling party punished for graft

BEIJING: Over 2,100 officials of the ruling Communist Party of China have been punished for their involvement in graft and abuse of power in January.

The disciplinary watchdog of the CPC uncovered 1,650 cases of anti-graft rule violations involving 2,133 officials in January, official announcement said today.

Out of those who committed violations, 1,406 have been given Party or administrative punishment, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of CPC said.

The violations include private use of official cars, illegal subsidies, lavish spending at weddings and funerals, accepting festival gifts and use of public funds for high-end entertainment activities and travel, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Last year, disciplinary organs at all levels punished 71,748 people for violations of anti-graft rules, with 23,646 given Party or administrative punishment.

Hundreds of officials of the CPC at various levels including some of the top leaders like former security chief Zhou Yongkang and military General Xu Caihou were probed for corruption in an anti-graft drive launched by President Xi Jinping.