China firms fight boozy lunch ban

Business is often conducted over long lunches in China

Alcohol makers in a central Chinese province plan to challenge a ban on government officials drinking during their lunch break.

The Henan Alcohol Association has retained a lawyer to fight the ruling, which restaurateurs say has led to a decline in both customers and revenue.

The ban was introduced a year ago in a bid to improve government efficiency.

More than 100 officials have been reprimanded for lunchtime drinking since the ruling came into force.

Lawyer Kang Yinzhong said that drinking alcohol was a private affair and should not prevent someone from holding office as long as it did not interfere with his or her work.

Since the ban took effect, I have fallen into the habit of not drinking at midday on workdays Chinese official

He told China's Xinhua news agency that he was collecting opinions from alcohol producers and would submit them to the provincial legislature in an attempt to get the ruling reversed.

The ban was introduced in January 2007 in Xinyang city and has since been extended to other cities in the province.

Some officials said they had found it useful.

"Since the ban took effect, I have fallen into the habit of not drinking at midday on workdays," Xinhua quoted one official as saying.

Meals in China are often used as a chance do business and with an increase in personal wealth in recent years, alcohol consumption in China has risen rapidly.