In late 2012, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, visited impoverished villages in Fuping County, north China's Hebei Province, and stayed at a budget hotel.

"We were told to prepare four dishes and a soup, just some simple home-style food. The staff also told us not to serve any alcohol. The dishes were served in big bowls, 10 people at one table, and they finished everything. Before leaving, General Secretary Xi reminded the staff to make sure the bill was settled, so that we wouldn't be left with any burden," a hotel manager recalled.

China has launched an education campaign urging its 100 million CPC members to strengthen compliance with a key code of conduct known as the "eight-point rules." These rules, central to the CPC's drive for clean governance, have reshaped both the Party and the nation over the past decade.