In March, a Chinese government official tragically died after consuming excessive alcohol alongside four coworkers during a seminar in Xinyang, central China. The officials had gathered to discuss updated government rules encouraging economical and sensible spending. However, the group consumed four bottles of baijiu, a potent Chinese liquor. According to an official account, the death was concealed as participants did not want senior officials to learn about the illicit drinking. The deceased’s family received compensation, and reports to higher authorities cited drinking as the cause of death.
This incident drew attention from the Communist Party of China’s top disciplinary body, which is spearheading a campaign against extravagance and indulgence within party ranks. President Xi Jinping continues his fight against what he views as rampant hedonism in the party. The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection stated, “The party center has beaten drums and swung hammers, issued orders time and again,” but added that some officials have “turned a deaf ear and showed no fear or awe.”
New Regulations Clamp Down on Extravagance
In May, Beijing reinforced its commitment to frugality by updating rules for party and state employees. These new measures explicitly ban alcohol, luxury meals, and cigarettes at official gatherings. Additional restrictions prohibit floral decorations, elaborate meeting backdrops, and the use of costly equipment for events. These rules build on a 2013 frugality code designed to promote the principle that “thrift is glorious.”
Officials must also avoid displaying flower arrangements at work meetings, refrain from using government vehicles for personal use, and are barred from gambling while abroad.
Neil Thomas, a China politics expert at the Asia Society Policy Institute, told the Wall Street Journal, “Updating the frugality code will not solve Beijing’s fiscal challenges. But it reinforces Xi’s political control over the bureaucracy and burnishes his image as a leader who stands against corruption and excess, especially at a time when many ordinary Chinese are feeling economic pain.”
Xi Jinping’s Push for Frugality and Discipline
President Xi has made clear his determination to tighten belts, urging officials to “get used to living frugally.” His crackdown on corruption has resulted in an unprecedented number of disciplinary actions. In 2024 alone, nearly 313,000 individuals faced punishment for breaching the “eight-point regulations”—a directive introduced by Xi in 2012 to reduce extravagance and misconduct.
As part of these measures, officials must study four collections of Xi’s remarks on discipline, along with more than a dozen sets of party rules and guidelines.
