China's economy continued its firm growth in the first three quarters of this year, with gross domestic product expanding 6.9 percent year on year to 59.3288 trillion yuan (US$8.9614 trillion), official data showed Thursday.

Disciplinary authorities have investigated 440 officials at or above the provincial or corps level for corruption over the past five years as the Communist Party of China (CPC) pledges sweeping victory over the threat to the Party, an official said Thursday.