RedNote

This is the first story in a three-part series exploring the domestic economic challenges China faces as it navigates an unprecedented trade war with the United States. In this piece, we explore Beijing’s drive to rein in wasteful government spending – and its unintended consequences.

Wang, a civil servant from a small town in northeastern China, is too scared to go to restaurants these days. He even skipped his niece’s wedding due to his fear of being seen at a banquet.

An avid foodie, the 55-year-old used to dine with his friends once or twice a day – usually at purely social gatherings unrelated to his government job. But now, even casual meals out can cause serious problems.

“Nobody dares to stick their neck out nowadays,” said Wang, who declined to give his full name for privacy reasons. “So I only eat at home now.”

The campaign started in May when the central government introduced stricter rules for civil servants and state-owned enterprise employees attending official receptions, which banned the consumption of cigarettes, liquor and “high-end dishes”.

The new guidelines were the latest in a string of measures to limit ostentatious celebrations by officials – a practice viewed as a waste of public funds and a slippery slope to corruption – that have long been a source of simmering public resentment.