A move by some local governments to ban alcohol consumption of employees in their free time has met with controversy in China. Qingcheng governments, Nanyang and Nanjing have all the measures taken to curb the consumption habits of civil servants, even after work.
According to state media Global Times, Nanyang in central Henan Province, prohibited personnel public service drinking alcohol in June, threatening that tests to chance are conducted to ensure that the rules are followed. Nanjing in the eastern province of Jiangsu, meanwhile, now requires police to be drinking after work for public and private events approved in advance. Acts for which it may be approved for drinking include business banquets, weddings and funerals.
The existence of such strict policies have only come to light in recent days, however, since news about consumption restrictions in Qingcheng, in northwestern province of Gansu, made in social media Chinese and later in the international press. Chinese micro-blogging site Sina Weibo was alive with commentary on the issue last week, with some netizens who support the movement to curb bad habits of civil servants, who have long been known for extravagant house and boozy banquets.
colleagues often encourage each other to drink heavily while giving and consumption of expensive alcohol can also serve as a form of bribery. Alcohol restriction on the functions of government also helps reduce public costs, supporters commented.
However, others claim that the rules go too far and that employees should be allowed to spend their free time as they see fit, as long as it does not affect their work. "As an employee of the government, I stay away from alcohol at all times. However, I do not think the government should make the decision for me and that is a written rule," said one Weibo user.
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