‘US$4,200 earrings too much’: Chinese official berated for luxury accessories at press event, triggering official probe
- A government official seen sporting luxury accessories during a Covid-19 media conference is under investigation
- The earrings she wore are identical to two luxury brand products sold at US$4,200 and US$2,600, respectively
An official in northern China is under fire for allegedly wearing luxury accessories worth thousands of US dollars at a press conference about the coronavirus.
Li Shaoli, a deputy director of Administrative Approval and Public Service Bureau from the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, was seen wearing earrings believed to be from luxury brand Van Cleef & Arpels and a scarf suspected to be made by Hermes at a recent media conference about a Covid-19 outbreak, the Jiefang Daily reported.
The Disciplinary Inspection Commission of the municipal Communist Party Committee has started an investigation into the matter after a massive public outcry about the alleged luxury accessories.
The earrings Li wore look identical to two types of products named Vintage Alhambra and Sweet Alhambra respectively, which are sold at 30,500 yuan (US$4,200) and 18,600 yuan (US$2,600), according to the Van Cleef & Arpels’ official website.
Internet users who saw the media conference also spotted that her scarf resembled one made by Hermes, sold for more than 4,000 yuan.
Hohhot, the capital city of Inner Mongolia, has recorded 286 confirmed coronavirus cases with another 2,371 asymptomatic ones since last month. The city of 3.5 million people has been under a snap lockdown for the last three weeks to curb the outbreak.
18 boyfriends, 1 husband, US$300,000 stolen cash: Chinese woman almost had it all
Qiao Xinsheng, a public affairs expert from Zhongnan University of Economics and Law in Wuhan, said government officials should avoid wearing luxury goods.
“Officials are leaders and example setters of society’s atmosphere. They should advocate a plain and frugal consumption mindset,” Qiao said.
Government officials wearing luxury items can easily touch a nerve with the mainland public which is under a frugality drive amid an economic slowdown over recent years.
A rural official in central Hunan province was exposed last year wearing a Hermes leather belt at a government meeting. Following a public backlash, local authorities revealed the leather belt was a fake bought for 140 yuan.
China’s Communist Party Central Committee issued Eight Rules in 2012 to crack down on officials’ extravagance, including advocating thriftiness and stipulating the type of cars and houses allocated to senior officials.
Central authorities issued a directive two years ago calling on government officials to set examples for the public in a nationwide campaign against food waste.
