China restricts government office sizes

BEIJING - China's anti-graft body said on Saturday that ministers and provincial governors shall have offices not bigger than 54 square meters.

Offices for their deputies shall be 12 square meters smaller, said the Communist Party of China's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), citing a document jointly issued by the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development.

Department heads at ministries and provincial governments shall enjoy an office not bigger than 30 square meters, and their deputies 24 square meters.

Heads of county governments shall have an office not bigger than 30 square meters and their deputies 18 square meters.

Luxury and spacious offices by Chinese officials have caused a public rage for years and became a target in the current anti-corruption drive.

Officials shall have lounges and private toilets in their offices so far as such offices are not bigger than the above-mentioned standards, but deputies shall not have private toilets, according to the official document.