BEIJING – China’s ruling Communist Party will widen a pilot anti-graft scheme to four more regions beyond the business hub of Shanghai as it seeks to rein in business activities by the families of senior government officials.

Rules announced last May bar spouses and children of senior officials in Shanghai from registering individual businesses or partnerships, investing in non-listed enterprises or registering a business overseas and doing business back in China.

Spouses of senior officials in Shanghai are also banned from holding top positions in private companies or senior appointed positions in foreign-invested enterprises.

Now four more regions, from Beijing, the capital, to south-western Chongqing, far western Xinjiang and southern Guangdong, will also join the scheme, state media said late on Monday (April 18), following a meeting overseen by President Xi Jinping.

The government will work to “strictly define business activities, make detailed rules and procedures to implement” the scheme, state news agency Xinhua said, adding that the rules would eventually become long-term and normal practice. It gave no further details.

Reports in Chinese and foreign media about families of officials who have leveraged relationships to enrich themselves have ignited public anger.

Officials have frequently faced criticism for the behaviour of family members. The party and government have ejected thousands of so-called “naked officials”, whose spouses and children have emigrated abroad.

China is in the midst of a massive crackdown on corruption overseen by Mr Xi, but the government has repeatedly had to rebuff criticism that the campaign is more about an internal power play than actually tackling graft.

The recent release of the so-called “Panama Papers” revealed offshore companies linked to the relatives of Mr Xi and other powerful current and former Chinese leaders.

The government has denounced as “groundless” accusations arising from the documents.

Separately, state media said officials found guilty of serious corruption and given life sentences would never be eligible for parole, a concession previously available, depending on their behaviour in jail. “For some defendants, the death penalty is too heavy and a suspended death sentence too light, so we made the new sentence after research and discussion,” senior judge Pei Xianding told the official China Daily.

Unpopular Hong Kong leader Leung Chun Ying gave evidence on Tuesday (April 19) in an assault case against a legislator who threw a glass at him in parliament, the first time a sitting chief executive has testified in court.

A calm Leung occasionally broke into smiles as he was cross-examined by pro-democracy and anti-China lawmaker Raymond Wong, who is accused of common assault and was representing himself in a courtroom packed with supporters from both sides.

Wong has pleaded not guilty to the charge and questioned the validity of allowing Leung’s testimony, calling him “a liar and untrustworthy”.

The court ruled however that Leung could be admitted as a witness.

It comes as he battles widening political divisions in the semi-autonomous city, with some young campaigners pushing for self-determination or outright independence from China as fears grow that Beijing is tightening its grip.

Rival groups clashed inside Eastern Magistrates’ Court before the hearing, with anti-Leung groups shouting: “Down with the Chinese Communist Party,” eliciting the response: “May the CCP live for 10,000 years!”

A scuffle broke out when one pro-Leung demonstrator shoved a supporter from the Wong camp, with the Leung group calling their rivals “yellow dogs”.

In court Leung described the incident in July 2014, saying paper had been thrown at him while he was at the podium in the legislature.”Then I heard glass breaking behind me,” he said. “It sounded close and forceful,” added Leung, who said he was “startled”.

Wong is accused of throwing a glass of water at Leung during the question-and-answer session. It did not hit him, smashing on the floor nearby.

The incident took place as tensions were rising in the wake of a white (policy) paper from Beijing in which it asserted its authority over Hong Kong.

Frustrations later boiled over into massive pro-democracy rallies in September 2014 after Beijing insisted on vetting candidates for the city’s future leader ahead of a public vote.

In an hour of detailed cross-examination, Wong questioned Leung over his security detail and the instructions they had been given on the day, as well as whether he knew the identities of those protesting.

Leung said he was unsure which lawmakers were protesting during the session.

The cross-examination will resume Tuesday afternoon after lunch.

It was the latest public drama for Leung, who is also embroiled in a row over an alleged breach of aviation rules involving the baggage of his daughter.

That led to more than a thousand people protesting at Hong Kong airport on Sunday.

They were angered by an apparent special arrangement that helped 23-year-old Leung Chung Yan after she accidentally left her hand baggage at the check-in counter last month.

Airport staff brought it to her in the restricted zone.

Local media reported the chief executive made a phone call to relevant officers before the bag was delivered to his daughter.

Leung has admitted making a call but denied pressuring staff.