A total of 223 village officials from Guangzhou's Tianhe district have turned over their passports to higher authorities as part of the local government's policy to prevent corrupt officials from fleeing overseas, a local official told the Global Times Wednesday.

Mo Tao, director of the publicity and education department of Tianhe district's disciplinary watchdog, told the Global Times Wednesday that 223 officials from 25 villages have turned over their passports and exit permits to Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan to the organization department of the district's Communist Party of China committee. He added some lower-level officials were also required to surrender their passports.

"With the growth in urbanization and renovation of urban villages, village officials are beginning to control large amounts of rural capital, property and land," said Mo. 

"This policy would help monitor their whereabouts and prevent corrupt officials from fleeing overseas," Mo said, adding that the total value of rural capital, properties and resources in Tianhe exceeds 20 billion yuan ($3 billion).

According to Mo, Tianhe district implemented this policy in January 2013. Inspired by their experience, Guangzhou authorities released a regulation by the end of 2013 ordering 2,000 village officials from 1,144 villages to surrender their passports to better manage the group.

"Is it a business or personal trip? Who will you visit, relatives or friends? Who will receive you, which hotel will you stay in, what is your schedule?… An application with detailed questions should be submitted before leaving the country," Su Zhisheng, Party chief of Gantang village in Panyu district, told the Guangzhou Daily, adding that he has never visited his family overseas after surrendering his passport.

Mo said that apart from measures to prevent corruption, local residents are encouraged to strictly supervise officials. 

After bringing down a number of high-level officials, China is focusing on lower-level "flies," or grass-roots officials.