851 investigated for duty-related crimes in 2014

BEIJING - Chinese prosecutors investigated 851 people suspected of abuse of power and dereliction of duty in 2014, the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) announced on Friday.

The 851 suspects were involved in 593 cases.

Of the cases, 132 concerned the construction industry, 131 coal mining, and 60 transportation.

The cases resulted in 1,627 deaths, 365 severe injuries, and a direct economic loss of 2.56 billion yuan (408 million U.S. dollars), said Li Wensheng, an SPP official.

Niu Zhengliang, in charge of investigating major safety accidents, said these cases are not just caused by unscrupulous business practices, but also by regulators who fail to correct the practices or even collaborate with or protect transgressors.