Authorities are continuing inspections of employees' personnel dossiers at government agencies and public institutions in China following widespread falsification of credentials by officials.

In some places, officials have falsified their ages and work experience to gain promotion, Xinhua News Agency reported on Wednesday.

Of all 20 provincial regions inspected by the Communist Party of China Central Commission for Discipline Inspection last year, dossier falsification by officials was found in 15 regions, the report said.

In Hebei province alone, 11 officials were punished for falsifying their credentials.

A personnel dossier records an official's personal details, including education and work experience, and plays an important role in employee evaluation.

The dossiers are managed by government human resources departments and Party organization departments. Individuals are not normally allowed access to their dossiers.

There are more than 7 million government employees in China. Many more work at institutions affiliated with the government, which also manages their dossiers.

Zhu Lijia, a professor of public administration at the Chinese Academy of Governance, said, "The main reason that officials take risks to falsify their dossiers is to gain promotion.

"Much of the information in their dossiers, such as education level, seniority and whether they are Party members, governs their promotion prospects."

Wang Yali, an official in Shijiazhuang, Hebei province, was involved in a high-profile case surrounding the falsification of dossiers. She was found to have changed all her personal details, including name, age and work experience, except for her gender.