Some regions have rolled out draconian austerity measures that have hit businesses hard, complicating Beijing’s drive to boost consumption
Wang, a civil servant from a small town in northeastern China, is too scared to go to restaurants these days. He even skipped his niece’s wedding due to his fear of being seen at a banquet.
An avid foodie, the 55-year-old used to dine with his friends once or twice a day – usually at purely social gatherings unrelated to his government job. But now, even casual meals out can cause serious problems.
“Nobody dares to stick their neck out nowadays,” said Wang, who declined to give his full name for privacy reasons. “So I only eat at home now.”
The campaign started in May when the central government introduced stricter rules for civil servants and state-owned enterprise employees attending official receptions, which banned the consumption of cigarettes, liquor and “high-end dishes”.
