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Presenting mooncakes to relatives and business associates may be an integral part of China's Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations, but a new law aims to dampen the spirit of mooncake giving -- at least among government officials. |
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向親戚與商業夥伴致贈月餅雖是中國的中秋節慶當中不可或缺的一部分，但有一條新法卻著眼於抑制贈送月餅的精神──至少是針對政府官員之間。 |
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As announced by the Communist Party's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, and reported by the state-run Xinhua news agency, the Chinese government has announced that officials will no longer be able to use public money to send mooncakes as gifts during the festival. |
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根據中共中央紀律檢查委員會的公告以及國營媒體新華社的報導，中國政府已宣布官員不得再於中秋節期間使用公款購買月餅當做禮物。 |
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The new restriction is being presented as part of President Xi Jinping's campaign against corruption and official largesse. |
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政府將這項新限制稱為國家主席習近平打擊貪腐與官員濫施恩惠的措施之一。 |
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"Superior departments and officials should seize on the trend of these luxurious celebrations and be courageous enough to spot and rectify decadent behavior in a timely manner while setting an example themselves," the party circular read. |
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「上級單位與官員應反制這種豪奢慶祝的風潮，勇於及時發現並矯正墮落行為，同時也為他人立下榜樣，」中國共產黨的公告指出。 |
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"Ninety percent of people who buy mooncakes give them to others," says Karlson Wong, head of sales and marketing at Kee Wah Bakery, one of Hong Kong's oldest bakeries. "It's an opportunity to show respect and build relationships." |
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「購買月餅的顧客有百分之九十都是拿來送人的，」香港歷史最悠久之一的烘焙坊奇華餅家的業務暨行銷主管黃嘉信表示：「你可以藉這個機會向別人表示敬重以及建立關係。」 |
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In recent years, mooncake giving has exploded in mainland China. |
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Boxes worth upward of RMB 2,000 ($318) are snapped up by businesspeople eager to bet their business relations on a cake. |
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近年來，送月餅的現象在中國大陸大幅增長。即便是價格高達兩千人民幣（三百一十八美元）以上的月餅禮盒，也還是受到一心將業務關係賭在月餅上的生意人爭相搶購。 |
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The expensive mooncake packages have been known to include high-grade tea leaves, bottles of alcohol or hidden envelopes of cash or coupons for luxury goods, riding the fine line between gifts and bribes. |
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價格昂貴的月餅禮盒所知內容包含了高檔的茶葉、瓶裝酒，乃至以暗藏的信封裝盛現金或是奢侈品的禮券，遊走於贈禮與賄賂的邊緣。 |
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Last year, mainland authorities began enforcing a rule on gift packages, disallowing all non-mooncake items from packs labeled "mooncake." |
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去年，中國官方開始執行一項禮盒的相關規定，禁止標示為「月餅」的禮盒內含月餅以外的物品。 |
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