China has cut over 23,800 posts from local Communist Party of China (CPC) committees as the Party pushes forward a nation-wide local leadership reshuffle aimed at improving administration efficiency.

The number of leadership posts -- or members of the standing committee of a local Party committee -- shouldn't exceed nine at county level and is limited to no more than 11 at city level, according to the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee.

So far 92.4 percent of China's townships, 82 percent of counties and 38.5 percent of cities have completed the Party committee elections. The western province of Qinghai and the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region have concluded all levels of elections, according to the Organization Department.

After the reshuffle, most of the local Party committees have cut the number of deputy chiefs to just two. And more young, female and ethnic cadres have also been taken into the leadership.

In a circular released nationwide on Saturday the Organization Department warned localities that they shouldn't increase leadership posts without permission and shouldn't give cadres preferential treatment that are not compatible to their posts.

The local leadership should enhance their decision-making capabilities and do their best to stamp out corruption as the focus of their work, the circular said.

(Xinhua News Agency January 8, 2007)