China punishes over 11,000 officials for frugality violations in July

BEIJING, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- China punished 11,685 officials in July for violating the country's eight-point code on improving Party and government conduct, China's top anti-graft body announced on its website Thursday.

The officials were involved in 8,152 cases, according to the monthly statement by the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission.

Among the punished officials, 7,844 received Party disciplinary or administrative penalties, according to the statement.

It said that 5,988 officials were sanctioned for engaging in formalities for formalities' sake or bureaucratism practices, and 5,007 of them were found to have failed in their duties on social and economic development or protecting the environment.

A total of 5,697 were punished for hedonism and extravagant conduct (including giving or accepting gifts) and awarding unauthorized allowances or bonuses.

In late 2012, the CPC released its eight-point rules on frugality to combat undesirable work practices.