BEIJING, April 17  -- Government budgets for overseas traveling, official vehicles and receptions will be reduced by 11.7 percent this year to promote frugality, the Ministry of Finance announced Friday.

The ministry said 6.316 billion yuan (1.03 billion U.S. dollars) had been allocated to cover expenses related to government vehicles, officials' overseas trips and official receptions.

Reduction of budget spending on government vehicles, which went down by 16.2 percent year on year due to government reforms to cut unnecessary government transportation services last year, was the biggest contributor to the overall drop.

China spent 6.56 billion yuan on overseas trips, vehicles and receptions last year, with public spending on government vehicles amounting for more than 50 percent of total government expenditure.