China handles 247,000 drunk driving cases this year

BEIJING, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese police have handled a total of 247,000 cases of drunk driving so far this year, the Ministry of Public Security said Wednesday.

Meanwhile, over 1 million cases of driving under the influence of alcohol were handled, the ministry said, noting that traffic management bureaus across the country have stepped up the crackdown on drunk driving in recent years.

China saw 20.7 percent fewer traffic accidents associated with driving under the influence of alcohol during the first half of this year.

Drunk driving is a crime under Chinese law which causes severe harm and should be strictly dealt with, the ministry said.