China punishes over 12,000 for frugality violations in August

BEIJING - China punished 12,387 people in August for violating the country's eight-point code on improving Party and government conduct, the top anti-graft body announced on its website on Monday.

The punished were involved in 8,569 cases, according to the monthly statement by the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission.

Among them, 7,930 received Party disciplinary or administrative penalties, according to the statement.

It said that 6,333 were sanctioned for engaging in formalities for formalities' sake or bureaucratism practices, and 5,264 of them were found to have failed in their duties on social and economic development or protecting the environment.

A total of 6,054 were punished for hedonism and extravagant conduct, including giving or accepting gifts, and awarding unauthorized allowances or bonuses.

In late 2012, the CPC released its eight-point rules on frugality to combat undesirable work practices.