China's top graft-buster exposes decadent officials

BEIJING - The top disciplinary arm of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on Friday named and shamed officials in 163 cases of violations in a major anti-decadence campaign.

The CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) released the names of nearly 200 officials involved in cases of embezzlement of public funds, use of public funds for banquets, accepting bribes, and holding lavish banquets, among other violations.

Those on the list are mainly low-level officials, ranging from village chiefs to head of the local police station, the CCDI said in a statement, adding that punishments range from warnings to dismissals.

In one case, Wu Zhongyuan, deputy editor-in-chief of Meishan Daily in Sichuan Province, was given a disciplinary warning because he had traveled abroad using public funds.

An eight-point rule was introduced at a meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee at the end of 2012 to fight bureaucracy and formalism and reject extravagance among Party members.

The CCDI has been publicizing cases since April 2014 and has named officials involved in over 2,000 cases since the campaign began.