Over 3,000 people were punished in more than 5,000 cases involving drug safety, Huang said.

A total of 102 people, including seven prefecture-level officials and 42 county-level officials, were punished following investigations into six major work safety accidents last year.

The ministry attached great importance to probing corruption cases related to everyday life, including cases of selling inferior fertilizer to farmers, unfairly distributing affordable housing and illegally fining truck drivers, Huang said.

Jiang Ming'an, a law professor at Peking University, said the Party's disciplinary authorities have become more efficient in probing corruption cases.

"There is an online phrase — 'killed within a second' — that describes those officials investigated and sacked shortly after being exposed of corruption on the micro blog," he said. "The Party's disciplinary authorities have responded more quickly toward online allegations."

Jiang said that the Party and government should increase supervision through different channels, including people's congresses, online whistle-blowing and the media.

Contact the writer at anbaijie@chinadaily.com.cn