By Mahmut Atanur

BEIJING  

China’s top disciplinary watchdog penalized almost 300,000 officials in 2015 amid a crackdown on corruption, state media reported late Sunday.

The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection administered major demotions and “severe” disciplinary punishments to around 82,000 of those found to have committed violations, according to Xinhua news agency.

Among them, ten officials who had been centrally appointed and administered were given “drastic” demotions as well as severe disciplinary penalties for serious violations of the Communist Party of China’s code of conduct.

Some 200,000 others were penalized more lightly and transferred to other posts.

According to Xinhua, the Commission has been cracking down in order to uphold the code of conduct, working to discern violations earlier and to prevent corrupt practices.

President Xi Jinping launched a wide-reaching crackdown on corruption among officials in 2013, since when tens of thousands of suspects – including dozens of high-profile individuals at the top of the Party – have been investigated.