In China, a Communist Party official from eastern Anhui Province has died from binge drinking.

Last Friday the Party Secretary of Xiaogang Village, Shen Hao, was found dead in his bed. State-run media reports Shen had attended three official banquets the day before where he had consumed excessive amounts of alcohol.

Shen’s case follows two similar deaths of Communist Party officials in July this year. Both drank excessively at official banquets and later died.

The deaths have highlighted the so called “drinking culture” amongst Chinese communist officials. They are expected to drink with official guests or business partners at events—events that are usually paid for by public funds.

Chinese academics say about $73 billion U.S. dollars are spent on official CCP banquets each year.