New Year banquet priced $24,444 sparks debate
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-01-16 14:31

A restaurant in Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang Province, will provide an extremely luxurious banquet worth 198,000 yuan (24,444 U.S. dollars) for the traditional Spring Festival, or the Chinese lunar New Year, spurring debate among citizens.

The banquet is being offered by Hong Kong-style Chinese food restaurant Laozhengxing, located in the city's scenic spot of Chenghuangge.

The owner of the restaurant said they will provide five sorts of Spring Festival banquet on the eve of the lunar New Year at various prices from 38,000 yuan (4,691 U.S. dollars) to 198,000 yuan.

He said the prices of the banquets are not simply elevated by one or two sorts of dishes, but by all delicate selections contained in the dinner.

The owner denied that the high prices were set to enlarge his reputation.

A resident living in Zhaohui District, surnamed Wang, said the banquet is too extravagant for common citizens.

The yearly earnings of the most citizens in Hangzhou are no more than 30,000 yuan (3,700 U.S. dollars).

Some citizens expressed their concern that the bills of the banquets will be paid by public funds, fearing this will become another form of bribery.

They hope that the government supervision department will pay close attention.