Legislator whines about wining and dining costs

A Chinese legislator fed up with lavish banquets has proposed making the "squandering of public funds" a crime, state media reported Sunday.

"Public spending on eating and drinking is a waste of social assets," Zhao Linzhong, a delegate to the 11th National People's Congress, told the Worker's Daily.

"We need to criminalize this by law, so I proposed amending the criminal law and introducing the 'crime of wantonly squandering public funds'."

Throwing lavish banquets has long been a Chinese tradition, both in government as well as business, a practice that besides wasting money, has also proven to be unhealthy, the report said.

According to People's Daily, China spends up to 200 billion yuan ($29 billion) a year on public wining and dining, a sum larger than the cost of the Three Gorges Dam, the world's biggest hydroelectric project.

"Although I am a victim of this tradition, at the same time I help advance this tradition by hosting meals and accepting invitations," said Zhao, who also heads a textile company.

The report said Zhao has handed a proposal to the legislature calling for debate on the amendment to the law.

Global Times/Agencies