BEIJING (REUTERS) - China's ruling Communist Party has issued rules to further rein in the business activities of families of senior government officials, in its latest move to fight corruption, said the official Xinhua news agency on Sunday (June 19).

Officials must report the business activities of their spouses and children, and those who fail to do so or seek to skirt the rules will be "dealt with seriously in accordance with regulations and laws", said Xinhua, citing the provisions issued by the party's Central Committee.

Officials' spouses and children must withdraw from their business activities or the officials themselves will have to step down from their current posts and "accept job adjustments", and face other forms of punishments, Xinhua said.

Such business activities include investing in enterprises, holding senior positions in private enterprises or foreign-funded enterprises, private equity fund investment, and engaging in paid social intermediary and legal services, Xinhua said.

The extended families of Communist Party cadres have become a key battleground in President Xi Jinping's war on corruption, which has punished thousands of officials since he came to power in late 2012.

Many cases of corruption have involved officials registering businesses and property under the names of relatives, allowing them to meet the letter of party guidelines while still using their influence to amass wealth.

"Strengthening the management of leading cadres' spouses, children and their spouses running businesses is an important measure to strictly manage the party and supervise cadres in an all-round way," Xinhua cited the party's rules as saying.