53 h. ago ‘Play safe’: why are local officials across China saying no to dining out?

Officials across China are avoiding dining out to “play safe”, as the country’s latest austerity drive spirals into an overbearing campaign of excessive control like many similar ones before it. Several officials interviewed said that the lifestyle change, even if temporary, was largely prompted by the ever-shifting local austerity measures, which could be even more stringent than the regulations originating from the central state and party bodies. An official in southwestern Sichuan province...

Politics

8 d. ago Hong Kong’s Northern Metropolis can benefit from EU firms’ expertise: John Lee

Hong Kong’s leader has called for more cooperation with European businesses on the Northern Metropolis, a key initiative aimed at driving future growth and sustainability for the city, a day after a top Beijing official urged expediting the megaproject. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said during his opening remarks at the sustainability event Greenway 2025 on Monday that Hong Kong and the EU could work together to find new solutions to climate change. “I look forward to the expertise and...

Politics

1 week ago Overbite: China urges officials to pull back on dining austerity drive

Leading publications of China’s ruling Communist Party have urged local governments to implement strictures on lavish banquets carefully, an attempt to temper overzealousness amid concerns from the country’s beleaguered food and beverage industry. Qiushi, the party’s theoretical journal, said in a commentary piece on Friday that recent affirmations of the need for frugality in official meals are intended to limit extravagant practices, not ordinary dining. “Some local governments scrutinise...

Politics

1 week ago China urges officials to rein in overzealous dining austerity measures

Leading publications of China’s ruling Communist Party have urged local governments to implement strictures on lavish banquets carefully, an attempt to temper overzealousness amid concerns from the country’s beleaguered food and beverage industry. Qiushi, the party’s theoretical journal, said in a commentary piece on Friday that recent affirmations of the need for frugality in official meals are intended to limit extravagant practices, not ordinary dining. “Some local governments scrutinise...

Politics

2 w. ago China's civil servants banned from dining out in Xi's austerity drive

China's civil servants banned from dining out in Xi's austerity drive  Reuters

Events

2 w. ago Chinese premier says officials must adapt to ‘complex and severe’ situation

Chinese Premier Li Qiang has urged the nation’s officials to improve their ability to anticipate challenges and accurately implement policies amid a turbulent geopolitical environment. “At present, the task to comprehensively promote the Chinese path to modernisation with high-quality development is heavy and difficult, with the external situation remaining complex and severe,” he said on Wednesday, as reported by state-run news agency Xinhua. During this difficult period, officials needed to...

Politics

2 w. ago Hong Kong exhibition opens to mark fifth anniversary of national security law

An exhibition commemorating the fifth anniversary of the Beijing-imposed national security law has opened in Hong Kong, featuring video footage and images from three major social movements, with city officials urging residents to remain vigilant against threats. At the opening ceremony of the government-organised event on Thursday, Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung noted that as of June 1, 326 people had been arrested under relevant national security laws, including the legislation...

Events