Officials to line up for Beijing buffets

BEIJING - A new regulation to battle extravagance in Beijing Municipality bans banquets for officials in the city on business.

Officials at various levels will all receive buffet-style meals during work-related visits to Beijing, according to the regulation passed Thursday by the Communist Party of China (CPC) Beijing Municipal Committee.

The regulation is the first detailed local rule following the eight aspects of officials' work style to reject extravagance and reduce bureaucracy, which were adopted at a meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee on December 4.

In China, banquets featuring expensive wines and dishes are often arranged to receive officials, while simple dishes are often served at a buffet.

Dinner is traditionally an important social occasion for both officials and businesspeople. Officials are often seen throwing or being invited to lavish dinners, triggering public outcry, as taxpayers shoulder the financial burden of such events.

These events become more prevalent toward the year's end, as people gather for end-of-year celebrations.

However, government officials are being pressured to follow in the footsteps of top CPC leaders who have adopted simpler working styles in an attempt to shore up public trust.

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, was recently seen carrying his own plate to pick up food at a cafeteria during a tour of a military facility in south China's Guangdong Province. Some viewed his actions as an attempt to encourage officials to forego bureaucracy and a sense of entitlement.

In addition to the requirements on business dinners, the regulation released on Friday also says there should be "no welcome banners, no floral arrangements, no traffic controls and no souvenirs of any kind" during municipal officials' visits.

News publishers are also required to shorten the lengths of stories on officials' activities, which have often bored people due to the stories' wordy, meaningless style.

Residents in Beijing have welcomed the measures, as simpler work styles among officials make their lives more comfortable.

"We won't be disturbed by traffic controls because of officials' visits, and the money that is saved can be used to further improve people's lives," said Ma Guohua, an aerobics instructor at Minbei Street Central Park in Beijing's Dongcheng District.

Ma hopes the change in work style will be for the long term, and he advised strengthening supervision work.