BEIJING - Chinese discipline inspection commissions investigated 139,621 corruption-related cases last year, said a senior official with the discipline watchdog on Wednesday.

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A total of 146,517 people were given disciplinary punishments and 5,373 transferred to judicial agencies for criminal proceedings in 2010, Wu Yuliang, deputy secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Commission for Discipline Inspection told a press conference.

Wu said special attention had been paid to embezzlement and bribery by officials, breach of discipline and violation of laws in key areas and sectors, and abuse of power and corruption cases related to serious accidents and mass incidents.

Assets declaration system

China takes a positive attitude toward establishing a system for government officials to declare their personal assets and work in this regard is progressing steadily, said Wu.

Such a system is a common and effective practice in fighting corruption in many countries, said Wu, without offering a timetable.

According to the Communist Party of China Central Committee's anti-corruption guidelines for 2008-2012, the Party will accelerate research and evaluation on the system.

A revised regulation that was issued last year requires officials to report their personal income, and their children's and spouses' employment status, homes and investment, Wu said.

The public generally supports the idea to introduce such a system and the Party's push to upgrade supervision of officials.

The CPC Central Committee and the State Council promulgated a regulation in April 1995 which requires high-ranking officials to declare their incomes.

But some corrupt officials are found to have transferred their illegal gains overseas, to their spouses or children to avoid punishment.

Former railways minister still under probe

Former Railways Minister Liu Zhijun is still under investigation, Wu told the press conference.

The CPC discipline watchdog said in February that Liu was being investigated for alleged "severe violation of discipline," and the national legislature dismissed him from his post of railways minister later that month.

"From Liu's case we can see that the Party and government's firm determination to fight corruption, and the Party is carrying out more strict supervision on officials, especially the heads of all government departments," Wu said.

The official promised that further information will be publicized when the investigation of Liu's case is completed.

According to Wu, the CPC will strengthen supervision on heads of government departments in accordance with the intra-Party supervision regulation, by sending inspection teams and instationing discipline officials in government departments.