Prosecutors in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province, investigated 564 officials involved in 522 corruption cases in 2012, said Wang Fucheng, chief procurator of the local People’s Procuratorate.

The figures represent an increase of 54.9 percent year-on-year in terms of the number of officials investigated, and a 56.8 percent increase when it comes to the number of cases, Wang added.

In a report released during the annual session of the local People's Congress on Jan 21, Wang said that the investigations have helped recoup losses of up to 500 million yuan ($80.3 million).

Local courts gave various sentences to 581 officials found guilty of embezzlement and accepting bribes in 2012, according to Liu Nianfu, chief judge of the Guangzhou Intermediate People's Court.