Booth of Tencent Cloud at the China International Big Data Industry Expo 2021 in Guiyang, Southwest China's Guizhou Province on May 27, 2021 Photo: Chi Jingyi/GT

Tencent group fired 70 employees for violating company rules and referred a further 10 employees to public security authorities last year as it intensified a crackdown on misbehavior contrary to the values and rules of the group, according  to an anti-fraud notice published on the company's WeChat account on Tuesday.

In 2021, Tencent's anti-fraud investigation department discovered and addressed more than 50 cases of inappropriate behavior including bribery and corruption that crossed the "Tencent high-voltage wire," an internal set of regulations, the notice said. 

In order to jointly protect Tencent's corporate culture, build a healthy and safe work environment, and transmit positive workplace energy, Tencent has enforced its zero-tolerance attitude clear since 2005 when it first proposed the "Tencent high-voltage wire," the notice said.

Tencent has always believed in the value of integrity, and requires every Tencent employee to adhere to the bottom line and put morality, honesty and fairness first. Behaviors contrary to the values of integrity are dealt with seriously, the company said. 

Once an employee's behavior violates "Tencent high-voltage wire," they will be dismissed and barred from future employment at the company. 

For the external companies involved in any investigation, they will also be blacklisted from further cooperation. A total of 13 companies were added to the blacklist in 2021.

If the individuals are suspected of illegal crimes, they will be referred to the public security and judicial organs for further investigation, and the company has pledged to work closely with the police to crack down and arrest the external personnel involved, the company said.