Auditors save billions through 2020 checks

Auditors saved more than 220 billion yuan ($34 billion) in public funds that would otherwise be wasted or left idle while auditing more than 60,000 agencies across the country in the first 11 months of last year.

The number was released at an annual national audit work meeting on Friday.

All 832 counties in the country that had been put on the poverty list had received auditing, and a total of 77 billion yuan was retrieved or relocated for better use, according to a report by Xinhua News Agency.

Auditors also checked major projects closely related with people's livelihood, such as the basic pension insurance fund, medical insurance fund and government-subsidized housing projects. After problems were found, a total of 83 billion yuan was retrieved, reissued or returned, the report said.

Supervision on officials was also tightened. The audit of more than 18,000 government officials found over 70 billion yuan of problematic funds within their direct responsibility.