Beijing closes private clubs in temples

BEIJING - Beijing has closed private clubs in two historic temples as part of China's mass-line campaign and anti-extravagance efforts, authorities announced on Monday.

According to a statement by the office of the leading team in charge of the campaign, the clubs, located in the centuries-old Songzhu Temple and Zhizhu Temple near Beijing's Forbidden City, were found to be operating without proper approvals or licenses.

Recent media reports have revealed that upscale services provided at such sites violate regulations and have caused negative social impacts.

Upon learning of the reports, the Beijing municipal discipline inspection authority of the Communist Party of China (CPC), as well as local industry and commerce, taxation and finance agencies, set up a special team and launched an overnight inspection of the sites, the statement said.

The probe found that relevant government departments were also responsible for "severe" dereliction of duty and defiance of the CPC codes.

Authorities ordered the closing of the clubs and vowed serious punishment for the departments and officials involved.

The statement also pledged there would be no loosening in carrying forward the mass-line campaign and fighting extravagance.

The mass-line campaign focuses on efforts to make the CPC and government more accessible to the public while cleaning up officials' undesirable work styles.