http://www.latimes.com/world/la-fg-china-gifts-20131006,0,6136006.story
China is a place of gift giving. People give gifts as thanks, as greetings and as bribes. Yes, bribes. If you want your operation to go smoothly, "give gifts to" the surgeon. If you want your child to do well in school, "give gifts to" the teacher. In fact, mooncake sellers include "gifts giving" in their prices, charging you an estimate of 200 U.S. dollars per package. Smokers are also charged the "gift giving" tax, causing a pack of unhealthy cigarettes to be $50. Most people don't even smoke, it is just given as a present! China's president Xi Jinping is trying to reduce these "gift giving" notions and protect his citizens from being financially hurt.
I think this is madness. People are already poor and making them pay a bribe tax is ridiculous. People already have enough to worry about without having to spend money on bribes, just so they can be cured, or have good grades.
That's awful! The people are just being harmed by this, in what way are they helped?
ReplyDelete