(Yicai) Sept. 11 -- A greater number of high-level Chinese officials in the financial sector have been put under investigation so far this year as the country intensifies its efforts to rein in corruption in the financial sector.

At least 67 people have been investigated and 45 have been punished in the financial sector this year, according to statistics from the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission.

This includes 53 cadres from Party and government organs, state-owned enterprises and financial units at the central government level, five more than the same period last year, the commission said.

Top or second-in-command officials at local branches or the heads of business departments at the Big Six state-owned banks accounted for just under a third of those under investigation at 23 people and almost half of those who were penalized at 22. The Big Six banks are Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, China Construction Bank, Agricultural Bank of China, Bank of China, Bank of Communications and Postal Savings Bank of China.

Senior managers of Sichuan Bank, China Merchants Bank, Bank of Guizhou, Bank of Jiangxi and Chongqing Rural Commercial Bank were also probed. And seven senior executives from China Guangfa Bank have been under investigation since last year.

In the insurance sector Taiping Insurance and China People's Insurance Group were in hot water. Two employees at Hong Kong-based Taiping Insurance were probed and subsequently penalized, while one staff member at People’s Insurance was put under investigation and two were punished.

Ten people in the financial regulatory system have been probed and five penalized so far this year.

Editor: Kim Taylor