The crackdown on corruption has been tightened, especially among high-level officials, experts said after a former minister was sentenced on Monday.

Beijing No 2 Intermediate People's Court handed down the death penalty with a two-year reprieve to Liu Zhijun, former railways minister, for bribery and abuse of power.

The verdict comes after it was announced that four minister-level officials suspected of violating Party discipline have been under investigation since June.