China official 'just trying to learn about wine'

Ray

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China official 'just trying to learn about wine' in photo causing internet uproar


A senior Chinese official who was excoriated for allegedly using public money to bankroll an extravagant wine-tasting session has reportedly claimed he was just trying to "learn" about wine.



A leaked photo of Zhou Shaoqiang's Hk$70,000 wine appreciation course Photo: Sina Weibo

Zhou Shaoqiang, the manager of a state-owned investment company in the southeastern city of Zhuhai, was subjected to an online mauling last month after accusations he had hosted an exclusive dinner party at which thousands of pounds worth of wine were consumed.

The alleged shindig would have gone unnoticed but for the actions of Chi Tengfei, a boastful guest who used his mobile phone to forward a photograph to friends.

"Drank 12 bottles tonight," read an accompanying message. "What to do tomorrow and the day after?"

The photograph, which subsequently leaked onto the internet, showed guests huddled around 12 bottles of wine at a private club and suggested that the late-night drinking session had extended to bottles of Château Latour and Haut-Brion. In 2011, a six-litre bottle of 1961 Château Latour was reportedly auctioned to a Chinese buyer for £135,000.

Once public, the photograph raced around the Chinese internet. Mr Zhou came under fire from corruption-weary micro-bloggers and an investigation was launched.

But this week investigators said they had found evidence of a rather more mundane dinner consisting of 12, mostly pork-themed dishes.
Just six bottles of wine were consumed, at a total cost of 2,580 yuan (around £258),
according to a report in Guangzhou's Yangcheng Evening News.

The offending bottles of Château Latour and Haut-Brion were already empty when placed on the table, it was claimed.

Mr Zhou, who said he had paid out of his own pocket in cash, told investigators the empty bottles were produced to help his guests "learn more about wine", according to the Southern Metropolis Daily newspaper.

China's micro-blogging community was unimpressed, describing the investigation as a whitewash and nicknaming Mr Zhou "the wine learning brother." "Please stop covering up for the wine brother," wrote one user of the Twitter-like Weibo.

Another wrote: "Owning large amounts of property is about gaining understanding of architecture. Having huge amounts of savings is about deepening economic knowledge. And keeping mistresses is about better understanding sex."

"Our government officials really are living and learning," they added.


Meanwhile, Mr Chi, whose indiscreet photograph triggered the crisis, has begged the media to leave him in peace.

"There is nothing to it," he told the Yangcheng Evening News this week. "The media has got it totally wrong. This has troubled me tremendously, causing me huge mental stress."

The controversy comes days after China's incoming president Xi Jinping urged Communist Party officials to be "diligent and thrifty".

Officials should "resolutely oppose extravagance," Mr Xi said,
according to state media.

China official 'just trying to learn about wine' in photo causing internet uproar - Telegraph


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Typical Chinese habit of boasting on trifles. And so Chi Tengfei, a boastful guest used his mobile phone to forward a photograph to friends stating "Drank 12 bottles tonight,"

As if that was a great achievement!

NO wonder people in China die to become Communist Party members.

High living with low spending power don't gel. However, it appears that it is made good by graft, pelf and connections that go to give power and position that requires others to flatter and fete or use public funds and fudge the books!
 
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nimo_cn

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So Ray, what happened to wine learning brother afterward?

Sent from my HUAWEI T8951 using Tapatalk 2
 

sob

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you let us know what happened to the poor fellow.
 

Ray

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So Ray, what happened to wine learning brother afterward?

Sent from my HUAWEI T8951 using Tapatalk 2
You tell us since you are the Chinese Govt rep out here!

All I can say is that they had a damn good time, being Communist Party honchos, living off the land!

You must be feeling uncomfortable, being a similar big wig of the CPC!

Use the internet applicable in China and find out.

Xi possibly has also joined the Internet.

Has Xi Jinping joined China's equivalent of Twitter?

China's incoming president, Xi Jinping, may be be following in the footsteps of Hugo Chavez, Boris Johnson and Barack Obama by making his first forays into the world of social media.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...ping-joined-Chinas-equivalent-of-Twitter.html
Are you not aware of that?
 
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nimo_cn

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You tell us since you are the Chinese Govt rep out here!

All I can say is that they had a damn good time, being Communist Party honchos, living off the land!

You must be feeling uncomfortable, being a similar big wig of the CPC!

Use the internet applicable in China and find out.

Xi possibly has also joined the Internet.



Are you not aware of that?
Well, Ray, why do you get worked up by such a simple question?

I have never heard about the wine learning brother until you told me, I am simply asking how is he doing now. It is a natural thing for me to ask you since you are the one bring it up.

If you don't know, simply say it.
 

Ray

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Well, Ray, why do you get worked up by such a simple question?

I have never heard about the wine learning brother until you told me, I am simply asking how is he doing now. It is a natural thing for me to ask you since you are the one bring it up.

If you don't know, simply say it.
I did not bring it up.

I don't own British newspapers!

I am not against wine tasting or testing. But I sure feel it odd that it should be done with public money. Maybe you aren't.

How would I know more. You should know since you are close to the area of action,.

Aren't you concerned that Xi is trying to clean the system and you sit here justifying CCP chaps enjoying at the average Chinese peoples' earning which they give as tax?

Are you so laid back that you are not concerned what Xi is trying to do?

Are you part of this system that lives off public money and have a ball that you are so perked up?
 
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