Beijing bans private clubs in public parks

A room at the private club in Songzhu Temple where guests can stay overnight. [Photo/Xinhua]

BEIJING - Beijing is seeking to ban private clubs located in city parks as part of the latest effort to crack down on hedonism and extravagance among officials.

Private clubs using public resources such as pavilions, towers and aisles will be banned across the city's 300 plus parks, effective on Jan 10, 2015, according to a recently published guideline.

Public anger has been rising against private clubs, which are often illicitly built with public resources, sometimes in historical buildings or parks, and frequently visited by the powerful and rich.

The guideline defines private clubs as high-end restaurants, gyms, beauty parlors, hotels and other entertainment venues built on public resources inside parks.

Renovation or reconstruction of old buildings in parks cannot be done without government permission, and new buildings can only be constructed with official approval.

The decree also bans billboards such as "tourists not allowed" and "no entry" in the parks.

The guideline is Beijing's answer to an October decree by China's central authority that prohibits private clubs in historical buildings, parks and other public facilities.

The CPC has been effectively fighting corruption since Xi Jinping took the helm in November 2012, targeting official decadence and corruption in its ban of luxury banquets, flower arrangements in meeting rooms, expensive liquor, delicacies such as shark fin, and luxurious gifts during festivals.

Officials are also ordered not to use public money to attend expensive training programs such as EMBA classes to network with businessmen.

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