In southwest China's Guizhou Province, home to national liquor Moutai, alcohol of any kind is set to be banned at the dinner tables of officials during work time to improve official's work style.
The strict ban, which takes effect on Sept. 1, applies to the Party and government departments, judicial organs and local state-owned companies. Liquor, red wine, beer and other drinks containing alcohol are all to be prohibited during official activities, except for important foreign or investment promotion occasions, which will require approval to serve liquor.
Discipline staff will be organized to check the implementation of the ban, and violators will be punished seriously, according to Zhang Ping, deputy head of Guizhou Provincial Discipline Inspection Commission of the Communist Party of China.
"The receptions are just simply taking meals, which do not affect everyone's work schedule," said Shi Qingchang, Communist Party chief of Baisuo township, Guizhou. "The ban cuts expenditure and protects our health."
In late 2013, as part of a frugality campaign the central authorities issued a rule to ban cigarettes and high-end liquor in working lunches. Ever since, stricter local alcohol bans have been formulated and put into force in provinces such as Heilongjiang, Jilin, Zhejiang, Anhui, Jiangsu and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
The local alcohol bans show the ruling party's resolve to improve work style on a law-based track, said Zheng Dongsheng, professor in Party building at Guizhou Provincial Party School.
Over the past four years, the work style of officials has been more practical and efficient, with formalism and bureaucratism falling, he added.
However, cases of flouting alcohol bans remain common, as seen in exposure by discipline inspection authorities.
In eastern China's Shandong Province, 533 people were punished for enjoying banquets using public funds from January to July, according to the provincial discipline inspection commission Wednesday.
Nineteen officials in central China's Hunan Province were dealt with for drinking alcohol or gambling on a working day in December, said discipline authorities in Louxing district, Loudi city, in July. Among the violators, township Party secretary Xie Guoying was removed from his post.
Though alcohol is a major way for people to show their hospitality, it easily leads to corruption and sometimes even the accidental deaths of officials due to drunkenness. Attending banquets can be a heavy burden for many officials.
"Alcohol bans not only address dinner table corruption, but also liberate public servants," said Guo Ruliang, a county official in eastern China's Anhui Province.
Banning alcohol in official activities can improve the image of officials, but eliminating such a lingering sickness is an arduous long-term task, Zheng said.
