Overview

• The Chinese Communist Party has issued detailed guidelines banning extravagant spending on alcohol, luxury meals, flower arrangements, and airport send-offs by officials.
• The State Council's new regulations are the most stringent since Xi Jinping's 2012 anti-corruption campaign and aim to curb official excesses.
• State media has publicly criticized government departments for wasteful practices, including abandoned infrastructure projects and excessive spending on office equipment.
• Economic pressures, including slower domestic growth and the U.S.-China trade war, are driving the renewed focus on frugality and fiscal discipline.
• Public skepticism persists, with limited progress on asset-declaration reforms and some citizens questioning the campaign's effectiveness in addressing deeper economic issues.