A German man, who caused a serious accident while drink driving, has been ordered to serve for 15 days detention in Xi'an, the capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, police said Thursday.

The man was the first foreigner caught drink driving in the city during a two-month national campaign in China which began on Aug. 15 aiming to stamp out the offence. He was also fined 1,500 yuan (219 US dollars), said Xi'an police.

Police said the man was 38 and held an EU driving license.

Liu Yang, an officer with the traffic police division in the city's Yanta District, said the Germany Embassy in China has requested the man's identity be kept confidential.

"Cases involving foreigners should be reported to their respective foreign embassies. The German Embassy has requested us not to release the man's identity to media," said Liu.

He said beside drink driving, the man was driving illegally, because traffic regulations required foreign drivers to obtain a Chinese license.

The drink driver had left the driver's seat, and was sitting in the rear passenger seat when police caught him late night Tuesday.

The front of his Kia sedan had smashed into the rear of a Jetta car. Both vehicles were seriously damaged, but no one was injured in the accident.

A breath test showed the man's blood alcohol level 201 mg per 100 ml.

The driver later said he was on trip to visit his wife, a Chinese woman working in Xi'an, and had been drinking at his birthday party before driving.

China's Ministry of Public Security says when a drink driver is caught, his or her license could be suspended for three to six months. In serious cases, the driver could be detained for 15 days.

(Xinhua News Agency September 10, 2009)