CGTN America
In this Feb. 6, 2015 photo, a motorcyclist uses his mobile phone near a billboard showing Chinese President Xi Jinping with the slogan “To exactly solve the problem of corruption, we must hit both flies and tigers” in Gujiao in northern China’s Shanxi province. Chinese leaders have promised to generate new jobs by opening more of the state-dominated economy to private business. But they have yet to cut back monopolies and other privileges for politically favored government companies that reform advocates say are a drag on development. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
A total of 28 officials at the provincial or ministerial level and higher were placed under judicial investigation for corruption last year, according to a report of China’s top procurator.
The officials included Zhou Yongkang, a former member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, and Xu Caihou, former chairman of the Central Military Commission, according to the report distributed Thursday at the annual session of the National People’s Congress.
The number of investigations grew from 2013, when eight officials at the provincial or ministerial level were investigated for suspected embezzlement and bribery, according to a report delivered last year by Cao Jianming, procurator-general of the Supreme People’s Procuratorate.
From 2008-2012, a total of 30 officials at the provincial or ministerial level and higher faced investigation for corruption or other job-related crimes, according to Cao’s report from 2013.
Prosecutors have investigated the cases of Bo Xilai, a former member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee in 2012.
The SPP has been empowered to investigation corruption allegations and punish every corrupt official, focusing on duty-related crimes committed by leading officials in key positions, according to Thursday’s report.
Story by the China News Service.
