Dialogue 09/06/23 Controversial plan to buy luxury brands

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Intro:

Nowadays the rise of cyber democratic oversight has embarrassed some government departments. A recent decision of the central government’s procurement department for example has aroused extensive online debates about the privilege of senior government officials.

The decision is about purchasing luxury brand automobiles such as BMW and Mercedez-Benz for government officials at different levels. While senior government officials elsewhere outside China may also use luxury cars or bullet proof ones which are procured with taxpayers' money, such a privilege is usually put under close public scrutiny.

In China, a luxury brand may be viewed as status-driven and therefore politically incorrect for millions of netizens who care about social harmony and social justice when income gap remains wide between rich and poor in this biggest developing country. Today we are pleased to be joined here by Mr. Victor Gao Zhikai and Dr. Edward Tse with Booz & Company, Greater China.