The updated guideline stipulates that officials with spouses living overseas, or single officials with children residing out of China, shall not be considered for promotion.

With regard to another controversial category - officials who have in the past been held responsible for wrongdoings - the guidelines say they shall not be promoted within two years after the offence was committed. 

Liu Xutao, a professor from the State School of Administration in Beijing, applauded the latest revision.

"We can only protect the safety of the state power by limiting the naked officials' access to higher posts," Liu told the Daily, "This is in line with modern political ethics."

On social media,China's net users welcomed the news on Thursday, although many said it would not be sufficient to deter corruption.

"If the officials are already rich enough to send their family members abroad, they probably don't need a promotion," one microblogger said.

"Those officials should be sacked," others wrote.

The situation has drawn heavy scrutiny and criticism in recent years as it is thought to go hand-in-hand with corrupt officials transferring ill-gotten gains out of the country.

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