The administrative and law enforcement authorities in Fujian Province, east China, hit hard on cases of corruption and economic crime in 1999, saving financial losses of up to 120m yuan.

According to official figures, the discipline and supervision authorities in the province received 47,758 separate citizens' complaints against officials in 1999.

Based on the complaints, the two offices investigated 5,180 cases, involving 159 officials at county level or higher.

Some 5,142 cases were resolved, resulting in disciplinary actions against 4,866 officials, including 111 officials at county level or higher.

Procurators in the province investigated 1,077 economic crimes, involving 52 officials at county level, while courts in the province handled charges against 2,051 officials in connection with 1,399 cases.

The courts also sentenced 1,948 persons convicted for their involvement in 1,341 cases of economic crime.

Major cases exposed in 1999 include the smuggling of telecommunications equipment by the provincial telecommunications authorities, and cases against several ranking officials who were convicted of accepting bribes and other crimes.