Sharp spike in major corruption prosecutions in China during 2013

China investigated 27,236 embezzlement and bribery cases between January and November in 2013, according to a report.

The procuratorial authorities, which investigated the cases, sentenced 36,907 people. The Supreme People's Procuratorate said in a statement that of those cases, 80% were considered major or important.

The top procuratorate said that the important ones included embezzlement and bribery cases involving more than 50,000 yuan, 8,270 dollars, or earmarking public funds over 100,000 yuan, China Daily reports.

According to report, the number of serious corruption cases has risen over the past five years. In 2012, there were 20,442 major and important cases, compared with 18,464 in 2011 and 17,594 in 2008, the procuratorate said. The Supreme People's Procuratorate has issued more than 30 documents to standardize law enforcement and improve the handling of corruption cases, the report added.