Gansu cuts perks to officials

Official cars will be gradually replaced with domestic brands in an effort to save public money, according to a new regulation in Northwest China's Gansu province.

Provincial-level officials must strictly abide by the Party's rules on the purchase of official cars and buy domestic-brand cars to avoid extravagance, according to the regulation announced by the Gansu provincial Party committee on Sunday.

The regulation also requires officials to trim the length of conferences, hold video conferences as much as possible and get closer to the public.

The regulation states that officials are not allowed to accept souvenirs or agricultural produce during their inspection tours to grassroots organizations and expensive cigarettes and wines are forbidden at official dinners.

The regulation comes on the heels of the "eight measures" put forward earlier this month by the newly elected Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the Party's central decision-making body, which has vowed to improve the Party's working style.