China Limits Civil Servants' Group Dining Amid Anti-Corruption Drive

In response to several deaths linked to excessive drinking at official banquets, the Chinese government has imposed strict new austerity measures banning civil servants from dining in groups larger than three. These regulations, targeting Communist Party members and public sector workers, also prohibit lavish banquets, luxury vehicles, and 'white elephant' projects as part of President Xi Jinping's ongoing anti-corruption and clean governance campaign. Some local guidelines further restrict social gatherings, discourage treating colleagues to meals, and warn against forming 'small cliques,' sparking rare social media backlash over perceived overreach into personal lives. While critics argue the rules infringe on personal freedoms and affect office culture, some civil servants welcome relief from drinking pressures at work events. The crackdown reflects Xi's firm stance on party discipline and fiscal thrift, though analysts note the government's 'one size fits all' approach may be blunt and insufficient to address the serious drinking culture among officials. Nearly 16,500 officials were punished in April alone for violating these austerity rules, underscoring the campaign's intensity.