Hundreds of Xinjiang officials probed over their loyalty

The authorities in Xinjiang investigated 355 Communist Party cadres for breaches of party political discipline last year, a six-fold increase over 2013, in a greater attempt to root out disloyal members.

The news came days after 15 party officials in Tibet were said to have been punished for joining independence groups and providing intelligence to the Dalai Lama in "activities deemed a threat to national security".

The probes in Xinjiang were a result of stepped-up efforts to uncover breaches of party discipline in the region last year, state-run Legal Daily reported, citing the region's discipline regulators.

The 355 cadres investigated were involved in 323 cases. Among them, 333 received unspecified punishments, it said.

An office to specifically inspect issues of political discipline was set up last year to target party leaders and members, it said.

President Xi Jinping has said that wavering on core issues, openly opposing the party line, and secretly working against central government decisions constitute violations.