China punishes 3,934 officials in frugality campaign

BEIJING - The top anti-graft body of the Communist Party of China (CPC) said Monday that 3,934 officials had been punished for violating Party austerity rules in March.

The officials were involved in 2,733 cases, according the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) website.

China punished 11,037 officials in 7,588 cases in the first three months of 2017, the CCDI article said.

Awarding unauthorized bonuses was the most common misdemeanor, followed by misuse of public vehicles and giving or accepting gifts.

The CPC released its eight-point rules on austerity in late 2012 to reduce undesirable work practices.

The CCDI has a monthly reporting system on implementation of the rules within provincial-level governments, central Party and governmental agencies, centrally-administered state-owned enterprises and central financial institutions.