Leading by example

Why has the Party leadership bothered about the seemingly small matter of officials' smoking habits, to the extent that it issued a notice on Sunday requiring officials not to smoke in public venues, when it might be thought to have bigger fish to fry?

Because such trivial matters have wider repercussions, and requiring officials to set an example by not smoking in public can make a big difference when it comes to how officials, leading officials in particular, behave in public and how people perceive them. Those who might be promoted to leading positions should have moral integrity, according to the criteria set for official promotion, and in the mind's eye of the public, they should be role models.

However, reports of some officials keeping mistresses, embezzling public money and leading extravagant lifestyles using public money have created a bad impression, and a few rotten apples have spoilt the barrel.