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In China, Binge Drinking Is All in a Day's Work

By Mary Papenfuss,  Newser Staff

Posted Jul 20, 2009 6:20 AM CDT
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(Newser) – Getting wasted is all part of the job for many Chinese bureaucrats, and it's becoming such a serious problem that it has led to illness and death, reports Reuters. Government officials are required to offer large amounts of alcohol at public functions and drink frequent toasts to honor guests. "We would lose face if we could not get our guests drunk. Refusing to drink is considered disrespectful," said one official.

"Neither my guests nor I want to get drunk but we have to play under the unspoken rule," he added. "We don't know how to do business otherwise."

Factory employees check liquor containers storing baijiu, the Chinese liquor, at a factory of Jiannanchun Group in Mianzhu, southwest China's Sichuan province.
Factory employees check liquor containers storing baijiu, the Chinese liquor, at a factory of Jiannanchun Group in Mianzhu, southwest China's Sichuan province.   (AP Photo/Color China Photo)
A Chinese woman waits for customer at her store selling drinks in Beijing.
A Chinese woman waits for customer at her store selling drinks in Beijing.   (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
Endless toasts are part of the Chinese tradition that often leads to drunken bureaucrats.
Endless toasts are part of the Chinese tradition that often leads to drunken bureaucrats.   (Getty Images)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 4 comments
martintb
Jul 21, 2009 1:12 AM CDT
Yeah, I've experienced this all too well. I've spent a couple of months doing research in China and on occasion I've been taken out to dinner parties with my professors and even upper management. The key word is ?? (gan bei). Whenever a superior comes and toasts with you, you have to finish whatever you're currently drinking. Furthering this problem is the fact that most Chinese beers come in 600ml (~20oz) bottles. Beware the gan bei.....
rajanKazhmin
Jul 20, 2009 11:21 AM CDT
Sounds like one of those good problems.
AClotfelter
Jul 20, 2009 6:10 AM CDT
This is the stupidest thing I've read in a while... and that's saying something...

 
China • alcoholism • Beijing • binge drinking • drinking • Chinese • bureaucrats

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