Officials who take gifts face tougher penalties

Government officials who accept gifts or money will face criminal charges and could go to jail if a draft amendment to the law comes into force, according to legal experts.

Chen Xingliang, a professor of criminal law at Peking University, said the measure is included in a draft amendment to the Criminal Law, which has undergone eight revisions since it was enacted in 1979.

The proposals would impose harsher penalties on officials who abuse their positions amid the continuing anti-graft campaign, he said.