College's drinking ban triggers online debate

Recently, a video clip showing a Chinese university prohibiting any drinking behavior on or off campus was widely circulated online and triggered heated debate.

In the video posted by sharing site Pear Video, Xi'an Fanyi University in Northwest China's Shaanxi province bans students and faculty from consuming alcohol.

The rigorous prohibition has banned students from drinking liquor at almost all events during their college life, including parties and celebrating graduations. Students who are caught drinking will be punished and those involved in serious cases such as getting drunk and fighting will be expelled.

Qiu Jie, head of the university's publicity department, said the ban from drinking liquor was adopted early in 1987 when the school was established. The regulation that recently caught public attention was rolled out in 2016, which was implemented later in 2017, following a series of alcohol-related incidents among universities students like misbehaving and fighting.

"For the students' health as well as making campus communities safer, we sent out a proposal to nearby vendors asking them not to sell liquor or cigarettes to students," said Qiu.

However, online opinions were divided with some supporting the ban while others claiming it's a violation of students' individual rights.

Previously, a college in Southwest China's Yunnan province reportedly tried to curb alcoholism by sending photos of drunk students to their parents.