Half of the respondents to a recent survey said they did not like being forced to drink alcohol at banquets, a custom that is considered to be part of the country's "liquor culture".

According to the results of the survey, conducted by China Central Television's (CCTV) Oriental Horizon program, half of the respondents said they disliked being forced to drink, 35 percent were neutral and 15 percent said it was a Chinese custom that should be preserved.

"Forced drinking", spitting, blowing one's nose without using a handkerchief and smoking in public are among the top 10 worst habits, according to another survey carried out by the China Association for Science and Technology.

Excessive drinking is not only unpopular, it can be deadly.

According to official figures released by the Ministry of Public Security, nearly 90,000 people died in road accidents last year. Speeding, exhaustion and drunk driving were the top three killers.

"If people were not urged to drink too much at dinner, we would have fewer road accidents," said Huang Shubo, an army officer in Beijing.

However, drinking is widely considered an effective way to clinch business deals and secure favors because people are more pliant after consuming alcohol.

It is common in China to treat guests or inspectors to big dinners to make them "feel at home", but sometimes the hospitality backfires.

In August 2006, Zhang Hongtao died from alcohol poisoning while auditing a power grid and transformation project in north China's Hebei Province.

People have to drink even if they do not want to, Huang said, adding that the friendship and influence of the host is at stake at such gatherings.

"I hate drinking too much, but I don't like to embarrass my friends and superiors when they make a toast," Huang said.

Ma Zhenbiao from the Beijing City Bar Association struck a similar note.

"There's a limit to showing one's respect with liquor," he said.

"If people are aware of the dangers of drinking, such as driving under the influence, and still urge people to drink, they will be legally responsible for accidents that occur," said Ma Zhenbiao.

Last February, a man in east China's Zhejiang Province died after his colleagues forced him to drink. They were later brought to court and asked to offer compensation to the victim's family.

"Pressing people to drink means ruining their health under the guise of friendship," said Ke Qinglin, a professor at the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital. He added excessive drinking caused serious health problems, such as high blood pressure, cirrhosis of the liver and heart disease.

Yu Xingqian, director of the China poetry and wine culture association, which is affiliated with the Ministry of Culture, said some people could become irrational and even commit crimes if they drank too much.

"We should promote an elegant drinking culture, in which liquor is savored not swallowed, and drunkenness is rejected," said Yu, adding that "vulgar practices such as urging or compelling people to drink should be disparaged".

China is one of the world's largest makers of alcoholic drinks. In 2005, the country produced over 38 million tons of alcoholic drinks. It is estimated that there are over 500 million drinkers in China.

(China Daily February 12, 2007)