The number of officials probed for work-related crimes soared by 41.3 percent at the city level and 60 percent at provincial level last year, according to the top procuratorate.

A total of 253 city-level officials and eight provincial-level officials were investigated last year by prosecutors for embezzlement, bribery and abuse of public funds, Cao Jianming, the procurator-general, told lawmakers on Monday during the annual session of the National People's Congress.

In 2012, there were 179 officials at city level and five at provincial level investigated by the prosecutors, according to official data released last year.