Offbeat | China warns of corruption behind high-end mooncakes

With the Mid-Autumn Festival just around the corner, a senior disciplinary official has issued a stern warning against corruption and extravagance.
While lauding the Communist Party of China’s (CPC) fight against undesirable work styles, Song Dajun, deputy chief of the Party work style supervision office under the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) said: “The root is still there even though the tree has fallen.”
Song, who was speaking during an online interview made public yesterday on the commission’s website, called on supervisory organs to be extra vigilant ahead of and during the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays.
It is customary to hold banquets and give gifts, usually the sweet-or-savory-filled pastries known as mooncakes, during the festival, which falls on Sept. 27 this year. The CCDI is concerned that the festivals will be used as a cover for subtle bribery.
The CCDI yesterday unveiled a new form on its website, inviting the public to report excessive spending by officials during the upcoming festivities.
According to Xinhua news agency, “violators will be named and shamed in a weekly report on the website from Sept. 16.” MDT/Xinhua