Almost 5,000 corrupt Chinese officials caught: report

BEIJING (AFP) - Nearly 5,000 corrupt Chinese officials were punished for embezzling public funds in the first half of this year alone, state media reported Sunday.

Communist party and government officials rewarded themselves with lavish but unauthorized banquets, overseas tours, luxurious cars and entertainment at public expense, Xinhua news agency said.

Altogether 4,866 officials were caught in a crackdown launched jointly by several state departments, the agency said, quoting the Ministry of Supervision.

Official corruption in rife in China and is a source of immense and growing anger among ordinary citizens.

President Hu Jintao has said that official graft constitutes the biggest threat to communist party rule.

No details were released on what punishments the officials received. However, in one recent case that triggered widespread anger, a senior communist party official was demoted for forging an official invitation to visit Finland so he could travel there at public expense.