Government spending on trips, vehicles, receptions stabilizes

BEIJING - The Chinese government has kept its January-July budget on overseas trips, vehicles and receptions level with last year's figure amid the country's frugality campaign, according to an official report issued on Wednesday.

China has long been bedeviled by officials tapping expenses accounts to sightsee abroad in the name of official visits, drive work vehicles on personal errands, and enjoy luxurious receptions and accommodation. The three corruption-prone fields are known as the "three public consumptions."

"There continues to be zero increase in the three public consumptions, and supervision has been strengthened for high-value checks for dinners, entertainment activities, travel supported by public funds and various VIP cards," said the report on the implementation of 2014 budgets.

The State Council, or China's cabinet, submitted the report to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, for review. It didn't reveal specific budget figures for the three fields.

The report also attributed the budget's stabilization to strict management of spending on meetings, trips and training courses as well as government efforts to reduce administrative costs in fields including the construction of office buildings.

Previously, an official report on government final accounts for 2013 revealed that the central government spent 7.02 billion yuan (1.14 billion US dollars) on receptions, public vehicles and overseas trips, 954 million less than the budgeted figure, and 410 million yuan less than the figure of 2012.