'Naked officials' barred from holding top jobs

Officials whose spouses have emigrated will no longer be allowed to hold top jobs, the Party's organization department has said.

Posts covered by the ruling include leading positions in the Party committee, the People's Congress, the judicial system and Party disciplinary authorities.

Officials with access to state secrets in fields such as business, economics, military and science are also included.

Under the rules, officials who refuse to bring home their families will have to quit their jobs or be demoted.

Mocked by the public as "naked officials" because they put their family abroad, this group has found itself at the center of the ongoing anti-corruption campaign.

There has long been speculation about how civil servants can afford to have their families living abroad.

In some cases, wealth has been transferred by officials to family members overseas to elude domestic investigations.

This year, the organization department redefined what constituted a "naked official."

Previously, officials whose spouse is overseas while their children remain at home wouldn't be considered to be this category.

But the organization department ruled this year that even if only the spouse has emigrated, officials fall into this group.

Almost 10 provinces, including Zhejiang and Sichuan, started checks on the number of "naked officials" in April.