China investigates 30,538 for duty crimes in first half of 2017

A total of 30,538 Chinese officials were investigated for work-related crimes in the first half of 2017, according to a seminar for chief procurators on Wednesday.

The number came from 29 provinces, with Beijing, Shanxi and Zhejiang, the pilot provinces and regions for the reform of the monitoring system excluded, marking a 19.6-percent year-on-year increase from last year.

Of the total, 1,505 of the investigated were on county level, while another 224 were on bureau level for committing duty crimes including bribery and misconduct.

Up to 1,650 officials among those investigated were related to duty crimes in poverty alleviation work, up 81.7 percent on a yearly basis, as a result of the stronger hand against the crimes in poverty relief over the past six months.

Also, 495 were investigated and punished for work-related crimes that led to accidents with serious consequences.