Zhang Zhongliang was quoted by the Guangzhou-based Southern Metropolis Daily on Thursday as saying that county-level officials now attend 12 feasts on a weekly basis, a sharp decrease from more than 18 before the campaign.
Officials at higher levels are showing similar trends, Zhang said, adding that officials now spend an average of 30 minutes more at home than in the past.
Zhang, citing his own experience, said the "eight-point" anti-bureaucracy and formalism rule has greatly changed officials' work styles with less time spent on paperwork and meetings and more on implementation.
Zhang also listed several sectors that have been impacted by the austerity drive, including catering services, whose annual growth fell from 8.8% in 2012 to 3.8% in 2013. The hotel industry, beverage, tobacco and entertainment industries were also heavily affected, said Zhang.
"We would rather achieve less economic growth than have problems like corruption and waste," he said.
