5 provincial-level officials punished by discipline watchdogs in Q1

BEIJING -- Discipline inspection and supervisory agencies across China issued punishment to five officials at the provincial or ministerial level in the first quarter, the country's top anti-graft body announced on Wednesday.

A total of 116,000 people received punishment over the period, including 98,000 who faced Party disciplinary punishment, according to figures released in a statement by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Communist Party of China and the National Supervisory Commission.

Discipline inspection and supervisory authorities nationwide received 837,000 complaints and tip-offs, handled 440,000 pieces of evidence related to violations, and launched investigations into 135,000 cases.

A total of 715 officials at the prefecture level and 5,000 at the county levels also received punishment for violations, read the statement.