149,000 cases filed this year in anti-graft campaign

Disciplinary inspection and supervisory authorities nationwide initiated investigations into 149,000 cases in the first season, as stated by the country's top anti-graft watchdogs.

Among these cases, 16 provincial and ministerial-level officials and 983 department and bureau-level officials were involved, according to a statement from the Communist Party of China Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Commission of Supervision issued on Wednesday.

Additionally, investigations were initiated into 13,000 individuals who are currently or were formerly the village's Party chief or villager committee directors, it said.

Around 121,000 individuals were imposed punishment, including 99,000 receiving Party disciplinary actions and 34,000 receiving administrative punishment.

Of those penalized, 12 were provincial and ministerial-level officials and 948 were department and bureau-level officials.

The authorities also took a tough stance against bribe-giving simultaneously, with 4,894 individuals involved in bribe-giving being investigated and another 911 were transferred to procuratorial authorities for prosecution during the period.