37 ministerial level Chinese officials probed for graft in 2015

Thirty-seven provincial and ministerial level officials in China were put under investigation last year for graft charges under President Xi Jinping's campaign against corruption in the world's second biggest economy.

The Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) of the ruling Communist Party of China said the investigation looked into the conduct of new provincial and ministerial level officials with seven investigation cases initiated in the month of November.

The 37 officials, including 10 from central government and 9 from centrally-administered state-owned enterprises, came from 31 provinces, municipalities and regions, state-run Xinhua news agency quoted CCDI statement as saying.

Of those probed, 13 of them, including a minister, were the most senior members of their departments, 35 per cent of the total.

In 2014, the number of officials investigated were 38.

Since Jinping took over as president and Party chief in 2012, thousands of officials have been punished in massive anti-corruption campaign.