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BEIJING, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- A total of 159,100 people were punished in 2017 for violating the Party's code of conduct and corruption in China, according to the top anti-graft body of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

They were involved in 122,100 cases, of which 48,700 were related to poverty alleviation work, said the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI).

Some 61,000 officials were punished for violating the Party's eight-point frugality code from January to November last year in 43,400 cases.

In order to have a deterrent effect, the CCDI also made public 670 cases of violating the Party's code of conduct and corruption on its website last year, based on reports from local Party disciplinary commissions.

A recent public opinion poll showed that 93.9 percent of those surveyed in 2017 were satisfied with the Party's anti-graft work, up from 2012's 75 percent.

Moreover, since the start of 2017, 1,300 fugitives have returned to China, including 347 Party members and state functionaries, as well as 14 who are on the list of 100 "red notice" corruption suspects.

Around 980 million yuan (151 million U.S. dollars) of illicit money has been recovered in the process.

China also held more than 50 consultations with foreign law enforcement departments in 2017 on major cases involving fugitives and illicit money, according to the CCDI.

At least 18 centrally-administered officials have been investigated and nearly 40 others have been punished since 2017, it said.

In 2017, Party organizations of 29 centrally-administered universities were inspected, 4 provincial-level regions were re-examined and flexible inspections over four institutions were carried out, it said.

The anti-corruption and strict Party governance drive continued its momentum after the 19th CPC National Congress, showing the CPC Central Committee's firm determination to consolidate the crushing momentum and secure a sweeping victory in the fight against corruption, it said.