Ganbei! Chinese drink till they drop dead
When police sergeant Chen Lusheng passed away, his superiors designated him a martyr who "died in the line of duty" and urged colleagues to donate money to his family.Ganbei is a Chinese toast which means "dry the cup."
But his death came not on the streets of the southern city of Shenzhen – rather, in a banqueting room during an off-duty drinking binge with local officials,a state newspaper has reported.
The case has highlighted a culture of obligatory drinking among local officials which has resulted in several other deaths. Official dinners, particularly at lower levels, are notorious for repeated toasts that warm relations and can help to gain advantage in negotiations. Declining to drink with hosts is considered disrespectful.
So serious has the problem become that some local leaders are said to hire assistants partly on the basis of their drinking ability, so they can share the burden.Tania Branigan | Guardian/UK
posted by Tom Nadeau at 3:03 AM
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