Official sacked for lavish birthday banquets

An official in Sichuan province has been removed from office after allegedly celebrating his birthday with a lavish banquet at a restaurant and accepting birthday gifts including money in envelopes.

According to the West China Metropolis Daily in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan, Chen Qiang, chief of the division of safety supervision in the Anxian county transportation bureau, celebrated his 49th birthday with 23 tables of diners at a restaurant last Sunday.

According to the newspaper, the courtyard of the restaurant was filled with diners' cars, many of them luxury models, while many diners gave Chen gifts of money in red envelopes.

After a whistle-blower reported the case, the county transportation bureau said Chen had only eight tables of diners in his birthday celebration, and that all diners were relatives and friends.

However, it removed Chen from his position as chief of the safety supervision department, saying his celebration had gone against the principle of thrift advocated by the central government.