New year banquet givers caught out by the new frugality

A year ago, mainland developers were busy wining and dining  government officials at five-star hotels before the Lunar New Year.

"We thought it would be business as usual this year,  and we reserved a sumptuous banquet," one developer said. "The menu included,  palm size abalone, Boston lobster sashimi and goose liver flown from Paris. But most officials rejected coming as Beijing called for simple meals and stepped up efforts to fight corruption." 

So he enjoyed this 100,000 yuan dinner with his family, as it was too late for a cancellation.

New Communist Party chief Xi Jinping has repeatedly indicated that the government will take harsh measures against lavish gift giving and corruption.

When Xi visited Shenzhen in December, he ordered a serving of simple and unadorned food, with no more than six dishes and one soup, and a buffet meal for accompanying officials.

With the new leaders discouraging the giving of expensive gifts, one property firm, which also owns and operates a shopping mall in the mainland, said sales of luxury watches in Beijing dropped significantly before Lunar New Year - a traditional peak season for the retail industry.