BEIJING -- China's National Audit Office confirmed Wednesday controller Zhang Hongtao, who reportedly died from excessive drinking, and the auditing team he worked with attended feasts hosted by an electricity bureau they were auditing many times.

A notice issued on the official website of the office also said the team, which was assigned to audit a power grid construction and transformation project of Yanshan County Electricity Bureau in north China's Hebei province between March and April, also participated in travel activities organized by the bureau.

"The incident has caused negative influence over the image of audit offices and auditors," said the notice.

It said the incident "sounded an alarm" to audit offices and auditors. All audit offices must draw a lesson from the incident and strengthen disciplines.

China's audit offices, championed by Li Jinhua, have earned good reputation for their exposure of a number of major corruption cases in recent years.

Media reports said 25-year-old auditor Zhang Hongtao, who worked with the Yanshan County Audit Office, died suddenly in front of a restaurant after attending a banquet given by Yanshan County Electricity Bureau he was auditing.

The reports said Zhang and other members of the auditing team had repeatedly attended feasts of the Yanshan County Electricity Bureau.

A newspaper commentary said the public has placed high hope on audit offices. If the incident is not treated properly, it will impair public trust in audit offices.

"Auditors who violate the disciplines must be severely punished," said the notice issued by the National Audit Office.