Sea area management officials under watch

Sea area management officials involved in illegal activities or guilty of misconduct, such as taking bribes, face being sacked, demoted, or even criminal charges, under a new ruling released yesterday.

The regulation, which takes effect on Tuesday, is "the country's first to systematically stipulate administrative punishments for civil servants who abuse their power in sea area management," Qu Wanxiang, vice-minister of supervision, told a press conference in Beijing.

"It aims to make sure officials perform their duties according to the law," he said.