A report compiled from medical check-up data released by Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University shows that nine out of ten officials suffer from poor health and around 34 percent have liver problems. A doctor at Zhongnan Hospital indicated that the high rate of liver disease can be linked to the heavy drinking among the civil servants.

Binge drinking is commonplace in business dealings in China and high-level officials in particular are required to attend many celebrations which center on alcohol. There have been cries for officials to be prohibited from paying their banquet bills with public money for years. Although in some places, drinking alcohol at lunch during the work day has been banned, it seems to me that the trend of drinking and eating has never faded. Some media reported that the annual cost of binge drinking among public servants can amount to 600 billion yuan ($88.2 billion), three times the national defense expenditure.

I suggest three ways to ban public servants from binge drinking. The financial budget needs supervision and funds for lavish official dinners should be lowered. Binge drinkers and eaters should be punished. The expenses should be transparent and open to all.

There's no excuse for eating or drinking with the public's money. When Premier Wen Jiabao paid a visit to Nankai University, he ate with the students in the University's cafeteria. With such an example, do we need to treat anybody to a more luxurious dinner?