Politics ASIA, BEIJING, CHINA, GOVERNANCE, GOVERNMENT POLICY, GOVERNMENT SUPPORT, INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS, LEADERSHIP, LU, LUO, MEXICO, NORTH AMERICA, SICHUAN Clara Montgomery June 29, 2025 0 Comments

Local Officials Across China Say No to Dining Out Amid Austerity

Local officials across China are opting out of dining out amid austerity drives.
Austerity measures are often more stringent at local levels than central guidelines.
‘Ceng ceng jia ma’ signifies the added layers of local control in governance.

Local Officials Choose Dining Out Alternatives

In recent weeks, local officials across China have opted to avoid dining out, a strategy they attribute to the overarching push for austerity sweeping through the nation. As this campaign accelerates, it has been accompanied by a notable increase in restrictive measures that are often harsher than those mandated by the central government. The implications of these changes reflect the loyalty local authorities feel compelled to showcase towards the central party directives. When asked, many officials stated they prefer to conform to the guidelines lest they be perceived as disloyal or insufficiently compliant during this latest austerity initiative.

Austerity Measures Exceeding Central Guidelines

An official from the southwestern Sichuan province, who chose to remain anonymous, pointed out that their department head had declared a dining-out ban as of early May. The official emphasized the gravity of the situation by conveying the message from the management: “Eating out during this period is not beneficial for you.” This directive appears not to be an isolated incident but rather a reflection of a broader trend where what is informally referred to as “ceng ceng jia ma”—or adding excessive layers of control—has come to characterize local governance in China. It’s essentially the norm now to exceed central government expectations to mirror commitment to political allegiance.

Historical Context of Local Compliance Pressure

The term “ceng ceng jia ma” is not new to China’s bureaucratic landscape, having been around for quite some time. It encapsulates the mentality that, when it comes to compliance and control, some local officials believe they must over-extend their efforts compared to what higher authorities dictate. This phenomenon was notably evident during the stringent atmosphere of the pandemic, when local leaders often enforced Beijing’s strict zero-Covid measures with an unexpected degree of zeal, leading to public backlash against what many perceived as excessive local enforcement. As the country continues dealing with economic and political pressures, this trend is unlikely to dissipate any time soon, leaving many to ponder the balance between loyalty and overreach.

Chinese civil servants are making calculated decisions to avoid dining out as they navigate a robust climate of austerity. This reflects a broader cultural trend deeply embedded in local governance, where officials often feel compelled to go beyond central orders to showcase loyalty. The phrase ‘ceng ceng jia ma’ has come to embody this practice and is seen as a guiding principle in a landscape where political allegiance often takes precedence over common sense.