End of Baijiu Binge Means Party Is Over for Producers, Dealers

(Beijing) – Dizzying sales of the popular Chinese hard liquor baijiu in recent years have given way to a hangover that has been painful to producers and a headache for dealers.

Since the Communist Party's 18th National Congress last year, the central government has campaigned against corruption and lavish spending. The Politburo said in December that local governments should not arrange banquets for visiting central government officials. As a chaser, that same month the Central Military Commission said military officials should not drink alcohol when they visit subordinate units.