Want to drink in China? Send a text

By Michael Bristow | BBC World News
20 March 2009

Local Chinese officials have been told to text their superiors for approval if they want to drink alcohol.

Officials in Hua County in Henan Province must text by 1700 [5 pm] on the day they want a tipple, according to a notice on a government website.

Teams of inspectors are being sent around the county with breathalysers to check the new rule is being observed.

It has been brought in to prevent corrupt officials using public money to "eat big and drink big".

Public exposure

"Government workers are strictly forbidden from drinking alcohol at lunchtimes on workdays," the government posting said of the rule, which came into force earlier this month.

"If there are special circumstances where officials need to drink on weekday evenings, they should text before 5pm," it added.

The notice says special circumstances include visits to the county by senior leaders or outside business people.

Officials working for local government or communist party organisations are also forbidden from getting drunk - anytime, any place.

Nine supervision teams will tour local government and party workplaces with breathalysers to check the rule is being kept.

These teams will also make sure officials are at their desks when they should be and are not wasting time by playing computer games, a local official said.

Anyone who fails to meet the new strict standards could face exposure on television.

Hua County appears preoccupied with improving the moral behaviour of its local officials.

Last year it held a conference that explored ways of "rectifying unhealthy tendencies".

Corruption is a major problem in China, where there are few checks and balances on what officials get up to.

China's Communist Party periodically launches anti-corruption campaigns in an effort to show it is serious about the issue.

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