Over 9000 officials reprimanded in anti-graft drive in China

As many as 9,361 officials in China have been reprimanded for violating austerity rules in the first three months in 2016, the ruling Communist party's top anti-graft body has said.

Those punished, including four ministerial-level officials, were involved in 8,788 cases, the Communist Party of China's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection said in a report posted on its website on Tuesday. In March alone, 2,701 officials were reprimanded in 2,672 cases, the report said.

It said about one-fourth of the cases involved illicit allowances and benefits. Other prominent problems include unwarranted use of public vehicles, as well as offering and accepting gifts and cash in violation of regulations. Thousands of officials were punished in the anti- corruption campaign launched three years ago by Chinese President Xi Jinping.