The Party's discipline inspection organizations investigated 133,467 Party officials, including 7,520 ranking members of management of state-owned enterprises between 2003 and 2006, a senior Party official said yesterday.

He said 427 officials who are also members of the Party were referred to judicial departments for breaking the law.

Ouyang Song, deputy head of the central committee organization department, told a press briefing the investigations also resulted in 2,585 people being dismissed or demoted and 1,363 disciplined in line with Party regulations.

Ouyang also said that 9,378 officials were penalized for violating rules in the recruitment, promotion and management of people.

He did not elaborate on the cases, which often involve corruption and under-the-table deals to buy promotions and recruit people with special connections.