BEIJING -- Central government departments' spending on vehicle purchases and maintenance totaled 6.17 billion yuan ($954.21 million) in 2010, the Ministry of Finance said Monday.

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Spending on overseas trips and receptions were registered at 1.77 billion yuan and 1.53 billion yuan, respectively, last year, the ministry said in an online statement.

It is the first time that such spending by central government departments has been officially disclosed.

"The move aims to let the public understand and oversee how the government spends public money," said Jiang Hong, director of the Public Policy Research Center affiliated to the Shanghai University of Finance and Economics.

Expenditures of central government departments on vehicle purchases and maintenance, overseas trips and receptions are dubbed the "three public consumptions." Excessive spending on the three items has long been viewed as sources of possible government corruption and waste.

In addition, the central government's administrative overheads stood at 88.71 billion yuan in 2010, according to the statement.