China punishes over 7,800 officials for violating frugality rules in October

BEIJING - China's top anti-graft body said 7,819 officials were punished for violating frugality rules in October. The officials were involved in 5,585 cases, said the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission in a statement.

Awarding an unauthorized allowance or bonus was the most common misdemeanor, followed by giving or accepting gifts and misuse of public vehicles, said the statement.

A total of 68,509 officials involved in 48,456 cases were punished in the first ten months of 2018, it said. The CPC released its eight-point rules in late 2012 to reduce undesirable work practices and maintain close ties with the people, which include requirements on frugality.

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