China has investigated more than 6,660 government officials derelict of their duties for the past 19 months, said deputy Procurator-General of the Supreme People's Procuratorate Wang Zhenchuan Wednesday.

Wang said at a work conference that Chinese procuratorates at all levels have investigated more than 5,840 cases of duty dereliction involving 6,664 government officials since August 2005, including 218 officials of county and division-level or above.

But he did not disclose the number of government officials convicted of duty dereliction after being investigated.

The duty dereliction investigation has been focused on government officials and staff of justice department who have misused their power for private gains, and on officials who have neglected their duty causing major economic losses for the government.

"The investigation has helped maintain market order, secure judicial justice and regulate use of government power," Wang said.

He said that in 2007 the procuratorates will continue to focus on investigation of cases in which judicial justice is hampered and environment damaged due to official's dereliction of duty.

China investigated and charged a number of government officials for dereliction of duty over the past few years

(Xinhua News Agency March 1, 2007)