No restrictions on normal moon cake gifts

The cancellation of such basic welfare benefits is a deviation from the top authorities' original intention. Such acts have not only compromised employees' normal interests, but can also curtail public support for the ongoing anti-corruption drive if they go too far.

The top authorities have noticed such deviations and made clear their stance that the fight against extravagance and corruption should be differentiated from the distribution of normal welfare assistance and employers should not deny ordinary workers the normal benefits.

Last July, the All-China Federation of Trade Unions issued a notice supporting the distribution of some basic articles by employers to employees on major national holidays and festivals. In a supplementary notice issued in January, the ACFTU defined these festivals and holidays as New Year's Day, Spring Festival, Tomb-Sweeping Day, Labor Day, Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival and the National Day, and stressed that some basic gifts compatible with the Chinese tradition can be given to employees.

Responding to public grievance over the cancellation of people's normal welfare benefits, some media outlets have criticized some employers for their wrong understanding of the anti-corruption campaign. Therefore, employers, especially State-owned enterprises, should not misread the spirit of the central authorities' campaign.

Traditionally, Chinese people have been buying moon cakes during Mid-Autumn Festival not only for their families, but also to gift them to relatives and friends as a show of goodwill and gratitude. It is also a Chinese tradition for employers to give some gifts to employees during festivals.

What the top authorities are opposed to is not normal public consumption of moon cakes, but the squandering of taxpayers' money by civil servants to buy them. The ongoing anti-corruption campaign is aimed at preventing the misuse of public money, curbing extravagance and fighting corruption, not to offer an excuse for denying employees their normal welfare assistance and benefits.

The author is a senior writer with China Daily.