Beijing, Oct. 27 -- A growing number of Chinese officials have been punished for illicit reading as the Communist Party of China (CPC) tightens its grip on the personal lives of cadres, increasing its policing of ideological purity amid growing domestic challenges.

Reading or possessing "banned books" or illegal publications containing content that "undermined the party's solidarity and unity" are some of the accusations increasingly pinned on disgraced party cadres by party anti-graft agencies.

Associate Professor Lai Hongyi from the University of Nottingham's School of Politics and International Relations said the tougher clampdown could be an attempt to sustain economic growth and ensure political stability.

"The nation is now facin...