BEIJING, May 27  -- More than 40,700 Party and government officials, including 229 at provincial or ministerial level, have been halted from improperly working at enterprises due to concerns of corruption and unfair market competition.

The clean-up effort started in October when the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee's Organization Department issued rules to regulate incumbent and retired officials working in various companies based on laws, regulations and Party disciplines.

Incumbent officials, including those who have not completed retirement procedures, should not hold concurrent posts or work full-time in enterprises, unless the officials' work requires it and the process is subject to strict examination and approvals.

Officials who have been transferred to work for enterprises should not retain their civil servant status before or after retirement.

Meanwhile, in order to avoid causing a conflict of interest with their prior role, former officials may not work in businesses within their former jurisdiction or engage in profit-making activities related to their former positions within three years of leaving public service.

According to a statement released on Tuesday by the department, most of the officials in question have completed procedures for dismissal from the enterprise posts while a small number are still in the process of doing so.

"The move aims to prevent officials' power from mutation, regulate their professional practices and set up a sound market order," the statement said.

While vowing to continue the clean-up, it urged organization departments at all levels to maintain strict approval procedures for officials working in enterprises and strengthen supervision over them.