More than 2,000 pieces of valuable gifts that were turned over by government officials were presented at a public auction in Zhengzhou, Henan Province on Saturday, September 15, reports Beijing Youth Daily.

Employees at local Party and government offices, province-administrated enterprises, as well as universities handed in the gifts they received at work to the "public property storehouse" of provincial governments during the past ten year.

The auction items include marketable securities, shopping cards, porcelains, name-list watches, electronic devices, gold and jewelry, cigarettes and liquors, as well as collectable calligraphy and paintings. Moutai liquor, which is auctioned below the market price, is among the most saleable.

The lots in the auction offering fair prices drew 300 groups of bidders from Zhengzhou and other cities, most of whom are ordinary residents, according to the auction house.

"As stipulated in the rules, staff members at Party and state organs are not allowed to receive or give gifts improperly, and they are asked to hand in the gifts to their offices with registration within a specified period if failing to reject them," said a staff worker from the public property storehouse of Henna provincial government.

He added that the auction helps deal with the idle resources. Funds earned from the auction will be submitted in full amount to the provincial treasury.