Many ways used to hide banned New Year’s banquets

By Lu Chen Source:Global Times Published: 2013-1-24 0:58:01

Despite the severe warning this week from Party General Secretary Xi Jinping that the power of officials "must be caged within regulations" many government departments are using corrupt accounting practices to hide forbidden spending on Spring Festival banquets.

The Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China announced in December that spending public funds on banquets is strictly prohibited, but officials are finding a number of ways around the edict. 

 The Xinhua News Agency has also reported that many government agencies have changed venues for their year-end banquets and are being held in government-owned restaurants. It also reported that an employee of a high-end hotel in Kunming, Yunan Province said his venue had been leased by several government institutions for banquets.

"Some employees can apply for reimbursement of the banquet expenditure by labeling them office expenses for stationary or other items they can think of," a government employee with the Shanghai Municipal Government who has knowledge of city spending practices told the Global Times.

According to the government employee, while less money is being spent on banquets and celebrations, public funds are still being used to pay for the downscaled events.

"Many departments have changed their plans to hold the year-end celebration banquets and activities due to the announcement. They changed venues to less expensive ones, and some of the higher leaders will not attend these activities to ensure they are simpler," the employee said.

Some banquet facilities are also helping hide the spending on wining and dining by providing multiple invoices that indicate other expenses, the government employee said.

Gao Ming, a lawyer from Shanghai Wanfang Law Firm and legal consultant for Shanghai's Minhang District Government, told the Global Times that it would not be difficult to detect false expense claims if there was a strict government audit system.



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