Humble menu speaks volumes

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(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-03-10 07:46

What did Chinese leaders and their guests eat at the reception party? The answer given by the NPC's new spokesman met with the mass' approval. In fact, the public were not only satisfied with the answer, but also pleased with the dedication showed by the government, says an article on www.dahe.cn. The following is an excerpt:

At the recent news conference of the 2009 National People's Congress (NPC), Li Zhaoxing, a former foreign minister and the NPC's new spokesman, introduced the menu for visiting foreign leaders.

Three dishes and a soup were served but no Chinese alcohol.

The modest menu cut a sharp contrast to the lavish fare often on the dining tables of some local officials.

For quite a few local authorities, they often eat lavishly when entertaining guests, ignoring the fact that many of those they represent are living a rough life. That not only creates a huge waste of money and resources, but also a potential pitfall leading to corruption.

Assured by the leaders' menu, we could feel the commitment our central government made to our people. Local authorities should borrow from this example, shifting their attention from eating better themselves to make sure the public eats better.

While the financial crisis deepens, there are so many challenges to conquer. The government should be self-disciplined first so as to guide the people through hard times.

(China Daily 03/10/2009 page9)